Dental Crowns – What Are They?

Have you ever heard of dental crowns? Most people have, because they’re such a widely-used solution for a variety of dental problems. But do you know what a dental crown is, how they’re used, and why you may need one?

If you don’t, that’s normal. Most people don’t know much about crowns, other than they’re something for a dentist to do. But here at Indian Creek Dental in Carrollton, Texas Dr. Hattaway believes in educating patients so they can make great oral health choices for themselves.

With that in mind, let’s take a brief look at dental crowns, when you might need them, and what they do.

What are crowns?
Crowns are exactly what they sound like – little caps that go over the top of your teeth. The only difference between a “real” crown and the ones used on your teeth is that a dental crown doesn’t have all the ornate jewelry on top.

Instead, a crown is used to replace the biting surface of your tooth. A crown effectively restores the full function of your teeth, which is why they’re such a popular procedure.

Why would I need one?
The most likely reason that you’d need a crown is if you have a tooth – or teeth – with severe problems on its surface. Multiple cavities can take away the integrity of a tooth, and a crown is almost always used in that instance. Additionally, if you grind your teeth during sleep, you’ll wear away the surface of your tooth. A crown fixes that problem as well.

And if you ever have to have a root canal, you’ll have to have a crown in place afterwards. Crowns are used to fix the holes left behind in a tooth after a root canal is finished.

Crowns are a great resource for tooth restoration, but it’s always better to do what you can to keep your real teeth inside your head. For more information, call us today at 972-836-8653.