Dental Crowns

The procedure – Before a dental crown is attached, the tooth must be thoroughly cleaned of decay and bacteria. Then it will be shaped to hold the crown. A dental impression will be taken of the tooth and its neighbors, as a model for the dental lab to follow in constructing your crown.

You will be fitted with a temporary crown while the permanent one is being made. During this time, sticky and hard food should be avoided and special care should be taken when flossing. Once the permanent crown is completed, Dr. Birnbach will permanently cement it in place.

Dental crowns come in a variety of materials:

• All-Porcelain: These types of crowns are the most aesthetic solution to tooth replacement. They look most like natural teeth and can be matched to the color of adjacent teeth.
  
• Gold: Crowns can also be made out of gold, chromium, and other base-metal alloys. These crowns are more appropriate for out-of-sight molars, as their metallic color may not be desirable.
  
• Porcelain-fused-to-metal: These crowns are made from a shade of porcelain chosen to match your natural teeth. However, as the gums gradually shrink with age, the metal under the porcelain can start to show through at the gum line.