Do you have a worn or damaged tooth? Create a functional, even bite with a dental crown. Crowns are tooth-colored caps that fully cover and protect teeth. We provide dental crown treatment in Tulsa, OK, using CEREC technology to customize crowns for each patient. CEREC can create same-day dental crowns.
Discover more about how crowns can restore your smile. We also provide additional restorative dentistry services using dental crowns in our Tulsa, OK office.
Do I Need a Dental Crown?
There are multiple reasons why you may need a dental crown:
- Protect weakened teeth after root canal treatment: You may need extra support for a damaged tooth after a root canal. A crown adds extra support to ensure that these teeth function correctly. Crowns also help create a more even bite.
- Cover large dental fillings: A large filling can compromise a natural tooth. Covering a large filling with a crown can prevent damage to the filled tooth.
- Complete single dental implants: A dental implant can restore a missing tooth. Implants replace teeth at the root. A dental crown can cap off a single implant to restore the appearance and function of a lost tooth.
- Secure a dental bridge: A traditional dental bridge restores one or more missing teeth. This type of bridge uses crown-capped natural teeth for support.
- Protect damaged teeth: If you have a worn, broken, or fractured tooth, we can prevent further tooth damage with a crown.
Dental crowns are good restorative treatment for patients with enough remaining tooth structure. We recommend dental crowns for patients with damaged and missing teeth that need a natural restoration.
There are also many types of dental crowns:
- Porcelain Fused to Metal Crowns
- Gold Crowns
- Stainless Steel Crowns
- Zirconia Crowns
However, we recommend crowns that use tooth-colored materials. These materials ensure crowns look and function like natural teeth. Our dental office will examine your smile to determine if you are a candidate for dental crowns.
The Benefits of Dental Crowns in Tulsa, OK
When you think of dental crowns, you may think of metal crowns of the past. Older crowns use metal materials because metal is strong and lasts many years. However, these crowns are easily noticeable. Even if a metal crown covers the molars, it’s still visible when talking or eating.
Ceramic and porcelain crowns use tooth-colored materials to ensure treated teeth blend in with natural teeth. Like metal crowns, these crowns can provide durability and strength. Tooth-colored crowns can cover any tooth in the smile to create a seamless look. These dental crowns also protect damaged teeth, brighten discolored teeth, and secure missing teeth restorations.
Traditional Dental Crown Treatment in Tulsa, OK
Traditional dental crown treatment requires two visits to your dentist. During the first visit, the dentist prepares your teeth for the procedure. They will numb the treated tooth or teeth. Then, they remove a portion of your tooth enamel, or outer layer, to ensure the crown fits appropriately.
The dentist will take an impression of your teeth and send it to a lab, along with the design specifications. At that point, you’re fitted with a temporary crown. The temporary will protect your tooth while you wait for the lab to finish your permanent crown. Once the lab completes its work, your crown is shipped to your dentist.
During your second visit, the dentist removes your temporary crown. Then, they check the permanent crown’s shape, size, and color before bonding it.
You might have to wear a temporary crown for several weeks, which is rarely as comfortable as a permanent one. Fortunately, modern technology helps you avoid all the problems with traditional crown placement.
CEREC Same-Day Dental Crowns in Tulsa, OK
CAD/CAM technology changes everything. We utilize CEREC (Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramic) in our Tulsa, OK, dental office. CEREC uses computer-aided design and manufacturing (CAD/CAM) to create dental crowns.
This technology helps us create accurate impressions and custom restorations. Traditional crowns can take weeks or potentially months. CEREC crowns are a same-day treatment.
Once we prepare your tooth, we will coat it with a safe, tasteless powder. Then, we will take 3-D images of your tooth and the surrounding structure with a special intraoral camera. The CAD software allows us to take those images and customize a precise restoration to fit your mouth. Also, the computer mills the ceramic block right there during your first (and only) crown appointment using CAM technology.
There is no need to send anything away to a lab. You will not have to take any further time out of your busy schedule for a second appointment. Nor will you have to wear a temporary crown. You can receive dental crowns in just one visit to the dentist’s office.
Caring for Dental Crowns in Tulsa, OK
Dental crown aftercare ensures that your crowns stay bright and intact. You can brush and floss your crowns like your natural teeth. However, when brushing, use a soft-bristled brush and non-abrasive toothpaste. Abrasive ingredients can scratch your crowns.
Avoid biting down directly on hard objects like ice or hard foods that can chip or crack your crown. Additionally, we will not recommend dental crowns if you clench or grind your teeth. You can break or wear down your crowns. However, once you treat bruxism, you can receive crowns to restore your worn or damaged teeth.
What are Inlays and Onlays?
Partial crowns, or inlays and onlays, cover a smaller portion of the tooth. Like dental crowns, partial crowns are separate pieces we place on the tooth. An inlay covers the tooth’s chewing surface between the cusps or sides of the tooth. Onlays cover the very top of the tooth, including the tooth cusps.
We often recommend inlays and onlays if you have damage to the top of your tooth. Our Tulsa office can use CEREC technology to create same-day inlays and onlays.
Protect Your Smile with Dental Crowns
If you’d like to see if you are a candidate for a dental crown in Tulsa, OK, you may call our office at 918-347-1114. You can schedule a dental appointment for treatment.