A ceramic crown is a custom-made covering that fits over an original tooth that is decayed, damaged or cracked. They are made of a variety of different materials, such as porcelain, gold, acrylic resin or a mix of these materials, but we use ceramic crowns.
The treatment plan for a patient receiving a ceramic crown involves:
- Numbing the tooth to remove the decay in or around it.
- Re-sculpturing the tooth to provide an ideal fit for the crown.
- Making an impression of your teeth in order to create a custom-made ceramic crown (usually takes one to two weeks).
- Making a temporary crown out of acrylic resin and fitting it onto the tooth during the interim period when the custom-made ceramic crown is being created.
- Applying the custom-made ceramic crown (when received from the lab) by removing the temporary crown and fitting the custom-made one onto the tooth.
- After ensuring that the ceramic crown has the proper look and fit, the dentist cements it into place.
This process generally consists of a minimum of two to three visits over a three to four week period. Once the procedure is completed, proper dental hygiene, including daily brushing and flossing, is required to maintain healthy, bacteria-free teeth, gums and ceramic crowns. This helps in the prevention of gum disease. Given proper care, your ceramic crowns can last a lifetime!