Damage to our front teeth can often leave us feeling self-conscious. But there are many reasons why a front tooth can lose that sought-after Hollywood smile.
A pavement trip, sports injury, or a soda habit can all contribute to tooth damage. When that happens, it’s time to make an appointment with your dentist.
One possible solution is a front tooth crown. This guide will share a comprehensive overview of this treatment, why you may need it, and what to expect.
What Is a Front Tooth Crown?
A front tooth crown is a cosmetic, restorative dental procedure. It’s a dental crown that covers the entirety of one of the front two upper teeth.
A dentist will fix the front tooth crown to an existing tooth or implant. It helps improve a patient’s oral health and gives them a beautiful smile.
Dental teams customize these crowns to ensure the new tooth looks natural and seamless. So, depending on the patient, each crown will have a slightly different shape, color, or appearance.
Front tooth crowns come in different materials.
These materials, like porcelain, offer a natural, strong, long-lasting replacement for the original tooth. That material is something a patient, together with their dentist, will decide on before the treatment starts.
Front Tooth Crowns: When You Might Need One
Front tooth crowns are a great option for a range of dental problems. Here are some of the most common scenarios that might lead you to choose a front tooth crown.
Tooth Decay
Perhaps you have visible decay on your front tooth. If this decay or damage is severe, it might be too large for a filling to resolve the problem. In this situation, you may want a crown instead.
It will help protect against further decay and strengthen the tooth. It also provides a better aesthetic finish than a filling.
Root Canal Surgery
It’s possible to have root canal surgery on your front teeth. When you do, you’ll need a crown to replace the parts of the tooth you lost after the canal treatment.
These dental crowns help restore the strength of your tooth.
Cracked or Chipped Tooth
A sports injury or similar accident could leave you with a cracked or chipped tooth. These can vary in severity from a tiny chip to a very visible one.
Either way, a crown is one of the best solutions because it will replace the missing tooth. A cracked tooth could be vulnerable to decay or further chips without a crown.
Wear from Teeth Grinding
If you deal with teeth grinding, known as bruxism, you could wear your front teeth and cause permanent damage.
While this may not be noticeable from a cosmetic point of view, it could change your bite. A crown will repair the tooth’s shape, restoring your bite.
Acid Erosion
You could also experience minor wear to your front teeth from acid erosion caused by a diet high in acidic foods like sodas. Crowns protect against further erosion and help restore any visible damage.
Cosmetic Improvement
You may have front teeth that need some cosmetic improvement. It might be a discolored tooth, which can happen if you have root damage or internal bleeding in the tooth.
Or you may have uneven-shaped teeth that leave you feeling self-conscious. A crown can help improve your smile.
Front Tooth Crown and Choice of Materials
When you speak to your dentist about a front tooth crown, they may offer a choice of materials. Your choice will depend on a few things: budget, needs, and oral health.
One of the most popular material choices is porcelain. It looks natural and can be color-matched to the rest of the teeth. It’s also highly durable and will last a long time.
Ceramic crowns are less expensive than porcelain but offer excellent strength and a natural appearance.
You can also choose a composite resin crown. This is often a more cost-effective option if you have a limited budget. It has less strength than porcelain or ceramic, so it may not last as long.
The Step-by-Step Front Tooth Crown Procedure
Before you opt for a front tooth crown, it’s helpful to understand what’s involved. Here is a look at the typical procedure from start to finish.
Consultation
Before you can get a front tooth crown, you’ll need a consultation and examination with your dentist. This will allow your dentist to examine your teeth to ensure you’re a good candidate for the treatment.
Tooth Reshaping
Before the dentist fits the final crown, they must prepare the tooth. That will depend on why you are getting the crown. For instance, the preparation will be different for a root canal than for a chipped tooth.
However, the dentist will use this treatment to get the tooth structure precise for the crown fitting.
Impressions
Your dentist will take an impression of your teeth, which technicians will use to create the custom crown. Impressions are usually a putty that molds to the teeth or a digital scan.
Next, the dentist sends the impression to the laboratory, which makes the crown. Timescales vary from days to several weeks.
Temporary Crown Fitting
Before you have your treatment for a permanent crown fitting, the dentist will make a temporary one. It has aesthetic benefits, but its primary purpose is to help protect the tooth until the dentist fits the permanent crown.
Permanent Crown Fitting
You’ll have a separate appointment for your permanent crown fitting once the laboratory has finished making it. Here, the dentist will secure the crown and check if the fit is correct and comfortable for you.
After Care for Your Crown
Once you have your permanent front tooth crown, your dentist will advise you on caring for it.
Immediately after treatment, you must refrain from foods like hard or sticky food. Long-term care is about maintaining excellent oral hygiene, brushing, and flossing.
A Front Tooth Crown: Restoring That Smile
If you hesitate before smiling, it’s time to make an appointment with your dentist. You don’t need to feel self-conscious about visible tooth damage. A front tooth crown is an excellent, well-established treatment.
Book that appointment today with our expert team at Toothologie! Our trusted team is here to help restore your beautiful smile!
Recent Comments