Dental crowns are used as a ‘cap’ on top of an existing tooth or a tooth you have had implanted to improve the look, health, and function of the tooth. Dental crowns are a great way to restore your smile and improve your quality of life. These prosthetic dental devices are used to fill in gaps, strengthen damaged teeth, and improve biting and chewing.

Permanent crowns can be made from stainless steel, all metal (such as gold or another alloy), porcelain-fused-to-metal, all resin, or all ceramic. Depending on your specific needs, the type of material your dental crown is made of can vary.The most common types of crowns include:

stainless steel crown

STAINLESS STEEL

Stainless Steel crowns are prefabricated crowns that are used on permanent teeth primarily as a temporary measure. The crown protects the tooth or filling while a permanent crown is made from another material. For children, a stainless steel crown is commonly used to fit over a primary tooth that’s been prepared to fit it. The crown covers the entire tooth and protects it from further decay. When the primary tooth comes out to make room for the permanent tooth, the crown comes out naturally with it. In general, stainless steel crowns are used for children’s teeth because they don’t require multiple dental visits to put in place and so are more cost-effective than custom-made crowns and prophylactic dental care needed to protect a tooth without a crown.

METALS

Metals used in crowns include gold alloy, other alloys (for example, palladium), or a base-metal alloy (for example, nickel or chromium).
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.

metal crown
porcelain fused to metal crown

PORCELAIN-FUSED-TO-METAL

Porcelain-fused-to-Metal dental crowns can be color matched to your adjacent teeth (unlike the metallic crowns).
However, 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. 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.

ALL RESIN

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

All resin crown
All ceramic crown

Ceramic Crowns

All-ceramic or all-porcelain dental crowns provide better 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.

ZIRCONIA CROWNS

Zirconia or milled crown which are digitally constructed either in an office that has the software and hardware to produce them or in a dental lab.
Dental offices that have the software and hardware have the ability to produce a crown in one visit with no need for a temporary. These crowns require no impression.

zirconia crown

Temporary crowns can be made in your dentist’s office, whereas permanent crowns are made in a dental laboratory. Temporary crowns are made of acrylic or stainless steel and can be used as a temporary restoration until a permanent crown is constructed by a lab.

Typically getting a crown will take two appointments. The first is for examining the tooth, taking x-rays, and getting impressions or scans of the tooth to make sure your crown will fit perfectly. After this, you may receive a temporary crown until your permanent crown is back from the lab. Once the crown is finished, your dental crown procedure will be scheduled where a permanent crown will be cemented into place.

Unlike dentures or other removable dental devices, crowns are cemented to your existing teeth. Essentially, having crowns cemented to your teeth means that they are permanent and can last anywhere from five to fifteen years depending on the type of material used and how well they are cared for.

In addition to brushing and flossing your teeth twice a day as well regularly scheduled cleanings, it is advised that you avoid chewing on hard objects such as ice or hard candy to prevent any damage to your dental crown.

If you are looking for an excellent dentist in Henderson, NV who will place your crown correctly and make sure that it looks and feels great, contact us at Nevada Sun Dental.We offer the best services when it comes to patient care and dental practices. Set up an appointment today to get started on the road to a beautiful and healthy smile.