Porcelain Crowns
Dental Crowns are normally used when you need to protect an existing tooth that has been broken, damaged or even cracked. Crowns help to strengthen the tooth in order to conserve the use of the natural tooth. You may be in need of a crown (sometimes called caps) if your tooth is decaying, is fractured, if you have any dental implants, root canals or if you maintain a poor diet and your teeth have eroded. In any case you need to discuss with your dentist first whether a crown is the best option for your teeth as crowns usually are utilized when the tooth can no longer support other procedures such as bonding or veneers.
Crowns can be made from a vast array of materials today. Depending on your expenses the doctor will most likely recommend what materials should be used for your crowns but if you are looking for a more natural look, your best option would be an all porcelain or ceramic crown to match your existing teeth.
The crowning procedure will involve Dr. Langer preparing the tooth in question with a proper cleaning and removal of any and all decay, thus reshaping the tooth for the crown. This aspect of the procedure involved anesthetics and the use of a burr which is a dental drill used to shave and shape the tooth. A mold is then made using dental putty or plaster to make an impression of your teeth to be used in creating and fitting the crown to your tooth. The process of creating the crown could take several weeks and within that time, Dr. Langer will fit you for a temporary crown until your new crown is ready to go. When your new crown is ready, Dr. Langer will remove the temporary crown and begin prepping the tooth to be cemented with your new crown using a special acid that will help to give your tooth a rough type of surface in order for the crown and cement to bond correctly.
Depending on the type of materials used in making your crown, it should last in upper towards 10 years. Most high quality made crowns have a longer life of around 10 to somewhere in the area of 15 years but it all depends on good proper oral hygiene as the crown will last as long as your teeth do. The cost of getting a crown will vary depending on the materials used, the doctor implementing the crown and the number of crowns needed for your teeth. If you have any questions about this or any other procedure that Dr. Langer can do for you, please contact our office at: (718) 339-6544.