A crown fits over the entire top of the tooth above the gum line. Crowns cover, protect, seal and strengthen a tooth. A crown is needed when a crack is too deep. A crown may be made of white porcelain, gold or porcelain-fused-to-gold. A crown is also a terrific cosmetic option. Dr. Toomey only uses labs that produce thinner, more realistic looking crowns, so that your smile is as beautiful as it can be, while offering strength to the area.
SITUATIONS THAT MAY CALL FOR A CROWN
LARGE DECAY
If a tooth has decay so deep and large that a filling will not stay, or if the tooth structure is weakened, a crown must be placed on the tooth to save it.
TMJ DENTISTRY
For advanced TMD cases, teeth have been worn down to a point that the appearance is poor, there is pain and/or there are multiple cracks (which will lead to losing your tooth if not addressed). Once Dr. Toomey has stabilized the bite with a specialized guard, he can see where your jaw joint naturally sits. This is because the muscles have finally been “deprogrammed” enough or relaxed enough, to see where your jaw joint should sit properly. Often, the teeth are not touching in many areas when this is seen. Therefore, the best way to create a permanent and long term correction to the bite, is to build up teeth where it is needed. Dr. Toomey uses 3/4 or full crowns, to achieve this because they are much stronger than veneers and offer the best color matching to your other teeth.
As a result of successfully treating so many TMD patients over the years, Dr. Toomey has done numerous full-mouth-restorations. He quickly realized that learning the best cosmetic techniques will offer these patients both a newly functional smile, and a beautiful one as well! Any cosmetic case that uses crowns in our office, will be treated by ensuring that the TMJ is considered and that one of the best labs in our area is used.
LARGE OLD FILLINGS
When large old fillings break down, or get decay around them, they usually need to be crowned. It is important to crown a tooth that has been structurally weakened to prevent a cracked or broken tooth. Once a tooth breaks, it may not be possible to save it.
CRACKED TOOTH
When a tooth is cracked, a filling will not seal the crack. A crown has to be placed over the tooth to hold it and the crack together. If a crown is not placed on the tooth, the tooth will become sensitive to chewing pressure, or will eventually break. It is important to crown a cracked tooth before it breaks, because in some cases a broken tooth cannot be crowned and must be extracted.
BROKEN / FRACTURED TOOTH
A tooth that has broken is usually too weak to hold a filling. A crown will hold the tooth together and prevent it from breaking again. If the fracture involves the nerve, Root Canal Therapy may be required before the tooth is crowned. In some cases, a broken tooth cannot be saved and must be extracted.
ROOT CANAL THERAPY
A tooth that has undergone Root Canal Therapy will need a crown to properly seal and protect the tooth. A tooth with Root Canal Therapy is more brittle than a tooth with a healthy nerve and blood supply. A crown provides the necessary support to the tooth.
SENSITIVE TEETH
Teeth that are very sensitive, either from a lot of “wear”, or from receded gums, sometimes require crowns to seal and protect the teeth from hot and cold sensitivity.
CALL TOOMEY DENTISTRY TODAY!
410.823.6000
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