Are you reluctant to smile? A dental crown could be the cosmetic confidence booster you need.

What Exactly is a Crown?

A dental crown is a type of cap your dentist inserts over a natural tooth. This cap envelops more of a tooth than a veneer does. It thoroughly covers the portion of the tooth that’s visible above and at your gum line.

Your dentist’s goal is to create a permanent cover that is incredibly natural looking. The color, shape, length, and bite of your natural tooth are important factors to consider when creating a crown. Made from an impression of your tooth, it might have all-metal, all-resin, all-ceramic, porcelain-fused-to-metal, or pressed ceramic composition.

The first step in making a crown is reducing your natural tooth for the cap to fit over it. In most cases, your dental practice will send the impression to a lab to fabricate the crown. Until it is cemented in place, you’ll have a temporary crown to cover your reduced tooth.

A crown’s life expectancy is up to eight years. However, if you take good care of it and schedule regular dental exams, it should last much longer.

How Can Crowns Help?

Dental crowns serve two primary purposes. They can restore a tooth to its standard size and shape to improve its appearance. They also provide strength when there isn’t enough of a tooth left to accommodate a large filling, or the tooth is already broken.

A crown is also useful for covering a tooth after a root canal, holding in place a dental bridge, and covering a tooth that is severely discolored or misshapen. In some cases, it serves as a cover for a dental implant.

Opting for a crown is an excellent way to make your smile sparkle while making a long-term investment in your dental health. Be sure to ask your dentist whether it might be the right choice for you.