Chicago Dental Crowns

Dental crowns are false teeth which are designed to cover up and protect a damaged or misshapen tooth. They are made of porcelain, and are applied to your tooth after it has been trimmed, covering up the remaining enamel all the way down to the gumline.
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With a dental crown, both the natural appearance of your smile and the natural function of your bite can be restored after one or more of your teeth have been damaged by an oral injury or tooth decay. Primarily, dental crowns are used as a restorative treatment. They are often recommended instead of a filling to treat large cavities, or to replace an old filling that is failing or weak. After root canal therapy, a dental crown will be placed to protect and cover the treated tooth. More rarely, crowns may be used purely for cosmetic purposes to cover up a very small or misshapen tooth, or to cover up a deep tooth stain.

Dental crowns are most often used to restore teeth that have been seriously damaged by decay. In most cases, crowns are used to repair large cavities that can’t be treated with a dental filling, or to cover up a tooth after treatment with root canal therapy. Teeth that have been exposed to severe dental trauma, such as a hard hit in a contact sport, can be properly restored to their original function thanks to dental crowns. By covering up and protecting broken or cracked teeth, crowns can seal up and protect teeth after root canal therapy.

Crowns are also sometimes used for cosmetic dentistry, such as when a tooth is not suitable for a standard cosmetic treatment like dental bonding or veneers. Patients that are looking to alter the appearance of a very small, misshapen tooth or hide deep tooth stains can benefit from dental crowns. Since dental crowns are made of porcelain, they can seamlessly blend into the rest of your teeth to round out your unique smile. After it has been trimmed, the dental crown will be properly fitted to envelop the remaining enamel. Because dental crowns cover the entirety of the damaged tooth all the way down to the gumline, patients can enjoy a fully functional and beautiful smile again.