Cosmetic Dentist in Palm Beach Gardens:
Crowns (Caps)

Crowns are dental restorations otherwise known as "caps" which are coverings that fit over teeth. Crowns may be necessary because of broken down old fillings, fractured, chipped or sensitive teeth. Crowns are also used to improve the appearance of natural teeth that are malformed, malpositioned or discolored.

At some point in our adult lives many of us will lose a tooth to injury, decay, or gum disease. When that happens, chewing forces can be shifted to another area or opposite side of the mouth and teeth can flare out, causing unwanted spaces, changing the very structure of your smile. We can restore and improve a smile using a combination of crowns and bridges to support or replace lost teeth. A crown is a restoration that covers a tooth to protect and restore it to its natural shape and size while strengthening and improving its appearance.

Crowns are made of natural looking porcelain and are made to improve your overall smile or to blend in with your own teeth. Sometimes an underlying metal shell is used under the porcelain if additional strength is needed.

Some of the indications for a crown are:

• A previously filled tooth where there now exists more filling than tooth. The existing tooth structure becomes weakened and can no longer support the fillings extensive damage by decay.
  
• Discolorations and compromised esthetics.
  
• Fractures
  
• Root canal - After root canal, teeth tend to become brittle and are more apt to fracture. These teeth need to be protected by a crown.
  
• Bridges - When missing teeth are replaced with a bridge, the adjacent teeth require crowns in order to support the replacement teeth.
  

Just remember that, while porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns can look just like natural teeth, the porcelain can chip and fracture. Therefore, if you have porcelain or all glass crowns, avoid hard foods such as hard apples, and give up bad habits such as chewing ice.


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