Memorial Dentists: Dental Crowns by Memorial Dentists

June 18, 2010 - PRLog -- Memorial Dentists: Dental Crowns by Memorial Dentists

Memorial Dentists describes a dental crown as a tooth-shaped "cap" that is placed over a tooth -- covering the tooth to restore its shape and size, strength, and/or to improve its appearance.

When cemented into place, Memorial Dentists explains the crowns fully encase the entire visible portion of a tooth that lies at and above the gum line.

Why Is a Dental Crown Needed?

Memorial Dentists knows that a dental crown may be needed in the following situations:
•   To protect a weak tooth (for instance, from decay) from breaking or to hold together parts of a cracked tooth
•   To restore an already broken tooth or a tooth that has been severely worn down
•   To cover and support a tooth with a large filling when there isn't a lot of tooth left
•   To hold a dental bridge in place
•   To cover misshapen or severely discolored teeth
•   To cover a dental implant
Memorial Dentists Types of Crowns
Memorial Dentists adds on that permanent crowns can be made from all metal, porcelain-fused-to-metal, all resin, or all ceramic.

1. Metals used in crowns include gold alloy, other alloys or a base-metal alloy. Memorial Dentists believes that, compared with other crown types, less tooth structure needs to be removed with metal crowns, and tooth wear to opposing teeth is kept to a minimum. Metal crowns withstand biting and chewing forces well and probably last the longest in terms of wear down. Also, metal crowns rarely chip or break. The metallic color is the main drawback. Metal crowns are a good choice for out-of-sight molars.

2. Porcelain-fused-to-metal dental crowns can be color matched to your adjacent teeth, more wearing to the opposing teeth occurs with this crown type compared with metal or resin crowns. The crown's porcelain portion can also chip or break off. Memorial Dentists points out that, next to all-ceramic crowns, porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns look most like normal teeth. However, sometimes the metal underlying the crown's porcelain can show through as a dark line, especially at the gum line and even more so if your gums recede. These crowns can be a good choice for front or back teeth.

3. All-resin dental crowns are less expensive than other crown types. However, Memorial Dentists informs that they wear down over time and are more prone to fractures than porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns.

4. All-ceramic or all-porcelain dental crowns provide the best natural color match than any other crown type and may be more suitable for people with metal allergies. However, they are not as strong as porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns and they wear down opposing teeth a little more than metal or resin crowns. All-ceramic crowns are a good choice for front teeth.

5. Temporary versus permanent. Temporary crowns can be made in your dentist's office whereas permanent crowns are made in a dental laboratory. According to Memorial Dentists, temporary crowns are made of acrylic or stainless steel and can be used as a temporary restoration until a permanent crown is constructed by the dental laboratory.

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Memorial Dentists, your neighborhood dentist, has been conveniently located at the corner of Eldridge and Memorial in west Houston since 1993. Memorial Dentists is a large private practice that offers its patients quality comprehensive dental care with several other convenient benefits.