Cosmetic Crowns And Veneers
Crowns
There are several reasons why a tooth may need a crown. Generally speaking though, a crown can make your tooth stronger and improve its appearance. If a tooth is comprised of 50% or more filling, a crown may be a good measure to help prevent a fracture of the tooth. When a tooth breaks due to being weakened by a large filling, sometimes it will not be salvageable and extraction of the tooth is the best option. A root canal may weaken a tooth as well. For this reason, crowns often accompany this procedure. A crown is also a good way to cover teeth that are discolored or badly shaped. Dental implants are completed with a crown as well.
A crown is considered a success when it lasts about 12 to 15 years. Often they will last much longer. When a crown does fail though, it is usually because it either is physically worn through or a cavity has developed at the point where the crown ends and the root begins. (For this reason it is important to gently brush around the crown). Crowns can be made from a variety of materials – each with their own pros and cons. Gold is very durable and can last decades, however many people don’t want gold colored teeth. A porcelain fused to metal crown has a metal base with white porcelain baked around it. It is durable, but not as much as gold is. PFM’s blend in well since they are tooth colored, however sometimes the metal collar at the base of the crown can show through a bit.
This is less of an esthetic concern for back teeth, therefore this is the primary location for PFM’s. All porcelain crowns have come a long way over the years. New products such as E.max Empress crowns (lithium disilicate ceramic) are made from ultra-strong, life-like materials. These new ceramic crowns rival the strength of gold, wear extremely well, and look amazingly lifelike. Since there is no metal collar, the crown exhibits translucency just as natural teeth do. Custom shades allow us to restore your smile to the way it was meant to be, while you can still have the confidence to chew on your crown without fear of it breaking.
If we recommend a crown, it is to strengthen a tooth and enhance it esthetically. Our primary concern, like yours, is helping you keep your teeth healthy and your smile bright, and a crown may be the best way to accomplish this.
Veneers
There’s no reason to put up with gaps in your teeth or with teeth that are stained, badly shaped or crooked. Today a veneer placed on top of your teeth can correct nature’s mistake or the results of an injury and help you have a beautiful smile.
Veneers are thin, custom-made shells crafted of tooth-colored materials designed to cover the front side of teeth. They’re made by a dental technician, usually in a dental lab, working from a model.
You should know that this is usually an irreversible process, because it’s necessary to remove a small amount of enamel from your teeth to accommodate the shell.
Your dentist may recommend that you avoid some foods and beverages that may stain or discolor your veneers such as coffee, tea or red wine. Sometimes a veneer might chip or fracture. But for many people the results are more than worth it.