A dental crown is a prosthesis used to restore a damaged tooth. It restores the shape of the tooth, without affecting the chewing function. The main purpose of the crown - strengthening the tooth and its protection from subsequent destruction.
Content
When do you need a tooth prosthesis?
- If there is a destruction of more than 70% of solid tissue.
- Injuries to the maxillofacial apparatus, which led to the loss of teeth.
- Significant wear of enamel.
- Aesthetic form. However, there are contraindications to this recovery procedure. These include shaky teeth, allergies to dentures, abnormal bite.
How does a crown differ from a filling?
Crowns are used to cover teeth that are seriously affected by caries, which implies their full coverage on each side. The main difference from the filling is that the prostheses made in the laboratoryand not in the oral cavity itself. To form them, the doctor needs to take a copy of your teeth, and then make an exact copy of them. This is the advantage of dental prosthetics, because the specific features of your jaw, such as bite and movement, will be taken into account. When applying a seal, the doctor does not see the overall picture, but only what is in the oral cavity, so he is not able to examine the anatomical specifics of the teeth.
What are dental crowns?
When choosing a crown, indications for prosthetics, the wishes of the client, and, of course, the cost of such a service are taken into account. Depending on the material used prostheses are:
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Metallic. This method of restoring teeth is time-tested and reliable, but the lack of an aesthetic component can be mentioned as a disadvantage. Well-known crowns are made of ordinary steel or steel coated, as well as gold. Gold prostheses are more preferable because they fit better to the tooth because of the softness of gold. However, this feature can be counted as a minus of metal crowns, because they are erased faster than prostheses of another type. These crowns withstand the stress experienced during chewing. Important is the fact that they do not contribute to the erasure of adjacent teeth. This type of crowns is advised to put on the molars (side teeth) to hide them with a smile. - Cermet. Pretty average option. From the name it becomes clear that they are based on metal and ceramics. The bottom layer of such crowns is a metal base made of cobalt-chrome or cobalt-nickel alloy, and the outer layer consists of a ceramic mass. The advantages of these crowns include high hardness and reasonable price. Another argument "for" is their good aesthetic appearance. On the contrary, a big drawback of metal-ceramic prostheses is a strong erasure of the opposite tooth. Despite this, the advantages of this type of prosthesis outweigh the imperfections.
- Ceramic. In terms of biocompatibility and aesthetic appearance, such crowns are the most successful. Their color is close to the natural color of the teeth. Unlike gold crowns, ceramic is the perfect type for prosthetic front teeth. The disadvantages include the high cost of such prostheses, as well as not too high strength, which makes it undesirable to establish them in the molar zone.
There are also plastic and metal plastic crowns. Unfortunately, the shelf life of these prostheses is not long: from a year to 3 years. The introduction of such prostheses is only a temporary function. Perhaps the big advantage of plastic crowns is a relatively low cost. They protect the grinded tooth while permanent crowns are made.
Cost of prosthetics
An important aspect when choosing crowns is their cost. Firstly the price will depend on the material manufactured prosthesis. But this is not all. You also need to take into account such criteria as the category of the selected clinic and the experience of a specialist. On average, prices for metal crowns vary from 700 rubles to 15,000 rubles, ceramic-metal - from 3 to 40 thousand rubles, and for ceramic ones - from 20 thousand rubles. Of course, all the interesting nuances should be recognized directly in the dental clinic.
Denture installation
This procedure is carried out in several stages. Depending on the selected crown, you will have to visit the doctor from 2 to 4 times. Consider more treatment stagesthat you have to go:
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Survey. At this stage it is necessary to take an X-ray. Next, anesthesia of the oral cavity follows. - Tooth preparation. To crown firmly "sat" on the tooth, it is necessary to grind. Each crown has its own thickness, so the size of the tooth should be reduced. You should not worry, because the appearance will be reimbursed by the prosthesis. Sometimes before the preparation procedure, treatment is necessary. This may be the replacement of the seal, and the reproduction of the tooth on the pin (if part of it has been chipped off).
- Impression casting. As you know, each of us has its own anatomical features. This also applies to the oral cavity. To make a prosthesis, a doctor needs to take an impression not only from the painful tooth, but also from the opposite jaw. This will help create the perfect denture for your tooth. Previously, plaster mass was used for this purpose; however, this method brought discomfort to the patient. Today, the cast is removed using elastic masses. Then the cast is sent to the laboratory, where the prototype of your teeth is molded. Making crowns - the process is quite long, therefore there is a need for temporary prosthetics. As mentioned above, plastic prostheses are placed for a short period of time. They are fixed with cement, but are easily removed. Generally, why do we need this type of prostheses? In order to prevent various stimuli, as well as to restore the aesthetic appearance of teeth (especially if it is a smile zone).
- 4. Color selection and fitting. The prosthesis should not differ from your teeth. The doctor will set the color of your teeth on a specially designed scale and select the correct color for the crown. The next step will be fitting the prosthesis, coordination of all the details. During the last visit, the doctor will fix the crown with cement.
How long will the crown last?
Metal crowns are the most durable. They can serve more than 25 yearswithout losing its functions. The service life of metal-ceramic prostheses is about 10-12 years. Metal-free crowns are the least durable - 5-10 years. A very important element of prosthetics is to care for them. However, even the best care cannot save from subsequent problems, such as pain and inflammation, if the doctor had not prepared the tooth for the installation of a prosthesis before that. And yet, you should remember a few rules for proper care.
Dental Crown Care
In fact, the care of “artificial teeth” is almost the same as the care of real ones. You need to brush your teeth regularly (at least 2 times a day). It is advisable to rinse the mouth after each meal in order to get rid of leftovers. Every six months, be sure to visit a doctor to examine the state of the prosthesis. You can and should use floss.If the gums start to bleed, you should change the toothbrush to a softer one.
Is there an alternative to crowns?
It often happens that we postpone a trip to the dentist, due to lack of time or financial resources. Thus, we sacrifice our health, but there are situations when there is simply no other way out. In summary, treatment can be postponed, but first you need to think about all the risks associated with this. And they definitely are. In this case, better consult a physician.
The main alternative to the crown is filling. Not perfect, but still a way out. The seal can last for quite a long time. The only question is whether it is rational to replace prosthetics with a filling if the tooth is destroyed. You will receive the answer only in the dental clinic.
To summarize, I want to say that dental treatment is always a costly business. In terms of time, effort, and no matter how much I want to deny it, money. It is extremely important to remember that no one will take care of your health better than you, therefore it is necessary to approach the issue wisely. dental prosthetics. Yes, it is not so easy to choose a suitable clinic, but it is not worth to postpone treatment to the far box. In order not to regret later, take care of your health now.
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