Preparing teeth for teeth crowns usually involves two visits. Tooth crowns can be prepared and placed in a single visit if your dentist uses a dental tool such as CEREC®. During the first visit, your dentist will take an X-ray to examine the extent of decay. If a root canal isn't necessary, your dentist will:
- File the chewing surface, sides of the tooth and surrounding teeth.
- Take an impression of the prepared tooth and surrounding teeth.
- Place a temporary crown to cover the prepared tooth while the permanent dental crown is being made.
At your second visit, your dentist will remove the temporary. Your dentist will check the fit and color of the permanent crown, then cement it in place. Dental crowns are made from a variety of dental materials, including:
- Metal (gold, nickel or chromium)
- Porcelain fused to metal
- All porcelain or all ceramic
- Resin (durable plastic)
Computer imaging for crowns allows you to get a sneak peak at how tooth crowns will look before undergoing treatment. This helps you compare your options so you can choose whether a porcelain crown or one made of metal might be more appropriate.
Keep in mind that a metal crown requires less tooth structure to be removed, but is less attractive than a porcelain crown. Alternatively, a porcelain crown, though less noticeable, may not last as long as metal or resin crowns. If the cost of teeth crowns is a consideration, talk to your dentist about which is more expensive -- a porcelain crown or its metal or resin counterparts.
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