WatchDental Crowns
How a dental crown protects a cracked or weakened tooth at Brammeier Dental of Naperville
A tooth that's cracked, carries a large old filling, or has just had a root canal is vulnerable, and the ordinary chewing forces of daily life can finish the job and split it in two. A dental crown prevents that. It's a tooth-shaped cap that covers the weakened or damaged tooth and restores its strength, shape, and appearance.
The full process, start to finish, is shown in this video. The area is comfortably numbed first, then the tooth is shaped to make room for the crown and an impression is taken, with a temporary crown guarding the tooth while your custom permanent crown is made. You return for a follow-up visit, where the final crown is cemented in place and adjusted to fit your bite precisely.
Material is a choice too. Modern crowns can be all-ceramic, all-metal, or a combination, and Dr. Brammeier will recommend the right one based on the tooth's location, your bite, and how natural you want it to look. Front-tooth crowns usually go ceramic for the best esthetics, while back-tooth crowns are often built for maximum strength.
A well-made crown can protect a tooth for a decade or more, but how long it lasts comes down to how you care for it: daily brushing and flossing, a healthy diet, and regular checkups all keep it going.
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