Preparing for Your Dental Crown: What You Need to Know

dental crowns cary, nc — Creative Commons image by Partha S. Sahana.

Have you been told that you need to have a crown on one of your teeth? A dental crown is a tooth-shaped piece of porcelain or metal that fits perfectly in your mouth. You might wonder about the process for getting your natural tooth prepared and the crown placed permanently in your mouth. Here are the facts you need to know.

Impressions

Usually the first step toward having a dental crown made is to have impressions taken. The dental lab will need to know exactly how your teeth fit together so that your new crown will fit perfectly. Your dentist will have you bite into a soft, putty-like material for up to one minute. The material will harden around your teeth (don’t worry; it’s flexible!) so that when you open your mouth, what’s left will be a perfect impression of your teeth in their natural positions. This will be sent off to the dental lab so your crown fits into position once it’s made.

Crown Prep

The next part of having your crown made is to prep the tooth. Your dentist will file away part of your tooth to create a smooth surface for the new crown to adhere to. Depending on the state of your tooth, you might or might not need anesthetic. If you’ve previously had a root canal in that tooth, your dentist might give you the option to go without. Either way, this should be a painless procedure. At the end of the prep appointment, another impression will be taken for the lab and a temporary crown will be placed to give you something to bite on while your new crown is being fabricated at the lab.

Final Placement

Your dentist will let you know how long it will take to make the crown. Once it’s in, your temporary crown will be removed and the final crown will be placed permanently. This is a quick and easy appointment most of the time; you won’t need any anesthetic. Once your new crown is placed, you’ll be ready to treat it like any other tooth in your mouth.

If you have questions about your upcoming appointment to prepare for a dental crown, please give our office a call so we can answer them.