When you go to see your local Green Bay dentist at Oral Health Associates for pain in your tooth, one of the things we do is figure out what is causing the pain. If the pain is caused by a cavity, it can be treated with a filling. But what do you do if the damage to the tooth is too severe for a filling, but not severe enough for a tooth extraction? Our professionals at Oral Health Associates may opt for a dental crown. This device covers the tooth down to the gum line, restoring normal function and appearance to the teeth.
Creating a crown or cap for your damaged tooth can take two or three visits. During the initial visit, we prepare the tooth for the crown by shaping it to fit inside the covering. We numb the tooth and immediate area, then proceed as necessary. If there is insufficient tooth material, we may build up the tooth for better crown support.
The next step is to make impressions of the teeth and send these off to our laboratory where the crown is made from dental ceramics. We attach a temporary crown until the next visit. On the second visit, we attach the permanent crown using dental cement or resin.
We can also create a dental bridge with crowns. This allows us to attach a number of artificial teeth using abutments placed at the beginning and end of the bridge. The number of abutments depends on the number of missing teeth, and it is important that this bridgework is performed by an experienced professional.
To care for your crowns and bridges, brush and floss your natural and artificial teeth twice a day and see your Green Bay family and cosmetic dentist every six months. Be sure to wear a mouth guard if you grind your teeth while sleeping, and avoid using your teeth to open things.
Oral Health Associates is happy to answer any of your questions regarding dental crowns, temporary crowns, bridge crowns, or other dental procedures. Contact us with your questions by calling 920-437-3376. You may also request an appointment online. We look forward to hearing from you soon!
