All-Porcelain Crowns
The tooth structure that you see when you look at a natural tooth is the enamel. Enamel covers what is called the clinical crown of a tooth, which is the part of the tooth that is above the gumline. Sometimes, the clinical crown is weakened or damaged by decay, fractures or chips, large fillings or root canal therapy. Because of this damage, it may become necessary to restore your tooth with a crown (also called a cap). A crown covers and restores the clinical crown of a tooth to its original shape and function. Crowns may be made of metal, porcelain bonded to a metal base, or entirely out of porcelain. Porcelain crowns used to always be build upon a metal core, to add strength so the tooth could withstand the forces of biting and chewing. However, theape and metal under the porcelain sometimes caused a problem - a telltale dark line at the edge of the gumline.
New breakthroughs in adhesives and stronger porcelain materials now make it possible to create crowns entirely from porcelain, which can then be bonded directly to your teeth. An all-porcelain crown is an excellent choice, especially for front teeth. A ll-porcelain crowns have a natural translucency that makes them hard to tell from your natural teeth. Without metal, the dark line is eliminated. And an all-porcelain crown can be placed above your gumline, which is healthier for your teeth and gums.
The procedure
It takes several appointments to restore your tooth with an all-porcelain crown. That's because your crown will be custom-crafted in a dental laboratory to precisely fit your teeth. To make the entire procedure comfortable for you, the first thing we' ll do is make sure the affected area is completely numb. Then we'll reduce and contour the tooth that is going to be restored.
After we've prepared the tooth, we'll take an impression of your teeth. Sometimes, we'll place a piece of string, called a retraction cord, between the tooth and your gums; this gently pushes your gums away from your tooth, helping us get a more accur ate impression. The string is removed after the impression is taken. The impression creates an accurate working model of your mouth, including the prepared teeth. This helps us recreate your natural bite.
For the week or two that it takes the dental lab to create your new all-porcelain crown, you'll have a temporary crown in your mouth. Then, at your next visit, we'll remove the temporary and you'll try in your new crown. We'll adjust the bite and make sure floss works smoothly. When everything looks good, we'll cement your new all-porcelain crown in place
