What is a Dental Crown and How Do I Know if I Need a Dental Crown?
A dental crown is an artificial tooth that is customized to the size, shape, and color of your natural tooth, and it is used to cover a tooth that has been severely damaged or is decayed. They are placed over your natural tooth to serve as a protective barrier, preventing additional injury or further reinfection from occurring. All the while, they encourage the natural tooth to regain its strength.
Dental crowns can be made from various materials, but at Smiles Dental, we use a porcelain fused to metal system (PFM), EMAX, Lava and zirconia. A PFM crown creates a stronger bond than traditional porcelain, making it more durable because of its metal structure. Based on your individual needs, our dentists will determine which material and brand is right for you.
If you’re wondering whether or not you are a qualified candidate for a dental crown, here are a few quick ways to tell:
- You have a broken, cracked, or fractured tooth
- A dental filling is too large and has left your tooth weak
- You’ve had root canal therapy, or a dental implant placed
- You’re experiencing severe tooth decay that a filling cannot fix