05 Nov Your Dental Crown Procedure: What to Expect
Has your dentist told you that you need a dental crown? Dental crowns are custom restorations that protect all of a tooth’s structure above the gums. Receiving a crown makes it possible to retain a badly damaged tooth and enjoy comfortable oral function. The procedure for dental crowns is not uncomfortable or invasive.
The Dental Crown Procedure
The First Visit
A dental crown fits over a specific tooth. This means that dental crowns must be made to very exact specifications so that they fit properly and comfortably.
The process for receiving a dental crown takes a couple office appointments. At your first appointment, the tooth being treated will be shaved down to make room for the permanent restoration. Local anesthetics, which numb nerve endings, ensure that patients are comfortable throughout their procedures.
Then, X-rays, impressions, and/or photographs are taken. These images will help our team develop the exact dimensions necessary to produce a restoration that accommodates your oral anatomy.
The Second Visit
The process to make dental crowns can take a few weeks. While you wait, you will wear a temporary crown to maintain the aesthetic of your smile and protect the tooth being treated.
Then you will return for the placement of your permanent crown. Your dentist will ensure that your crown fits as it should and will make final adjustments, if necessary. Then the crown is cemented over the tooth with a dental bonding compound.
What to Expect After Your Dental Crown is Placed
If you received local anesthetic for the placement of your crown, you will want to wait to eat until the numbness wears off. Some patients might experience a little tenderness at the gums of their treated tooth, but this discomfort will subside in a day or two.
Our practice offers excellent restorative dental care. Call Aesthetic Dental Partners today to reserve a consultation.