Porcelain Crowns
Dental crowns, also known as caps, slide over the teeth to hide misshaped, misaligned, discolored, or other tooth imperfections. Dental crowns cover and protect cracked teeth, increase comfort, and offer extra support to teeth that are weak or damaged. Today, more and more of our patients are asking for crowns that do not contain metal or other alloys. Perhaps it is because they have experienced metal sensitivities, old crowns with black lines by the gums, or dull crowns that simply look like a crown and not like the rest of your teeth. But a request from patients is not the only reason why Keystone Dentistry is one of the unique practices that offer all porcelain crowns.
The densely sintered ceramic used for the crowns makes your new tooth both strong and beautiful, giving you a natural shine between your crown and gum. And due to the strength in the core material, this type of ceramic is perfect for posterior crowns as well, where lesser materials might break due to the extreme biting forces. Our dental team can restore your beautiful smile quickly and conveniently with all ceramic crowns. If a rare occurrence where a single-visit crown is contraindicated, then a laboratory fabricated all ceramic crown must be made.
Lab-fabricated crowns are almost always made in two appointments. At the first appointment Dr. Kinney will numb your tooth and the surrounding tissue so that you are comfortable for the entire procedure. Next he will shape the tooth by removing cracks, decay and anything else we do not want. What is left is modified so that a crown can fit over the top like a helmet. There can be times when so much of a tooth that needs to be removed that we must “build up” a tooth with filling material first before we do the final shaping of the crown. Once the tooth has had all final adjustments, an impression is taken and sent to the lab where the crown is fabricated over the next 2-3 weeks. In the interim, your tooth is covered in a temporary crown for esthetics, but most importantly to prevent sensitivity and the adjacent teeth moving.
At the second appointment we will remove the temporary, try in the crown, make any final adjustments, and cement the crown to your tooth. Typically this appointment is short and you will not need to be numbed. Our lab has been in business for many years and has taken time to understand our practice’s standards and wishes. Their ceramists are just as particular as we are in making the shape, color and fit perfect for your individual tooth, but just incase your expectations are different, before the crown is cemented you are able to view it and verify that you are happy with the final product.
Using this type of crown, we have been able to transform smiles for many of our patients over the 25 years we have been in business. If you are interested in a smile makeover or just need a crown replaced, we are able to fit your needs. You can trust our cosmetic team to craft all-porcelain dental crowns that will vastly improve the overall appearance of your smile. To find out more about how Keystone Dentistry can renew your smile using porcelain crowns, please contact our office today.