What Happens If You Wait Too Long to Get a Crown?

What Is a Crown in Dentistry?

It is a dental appliance that can repair and restore teeth’ enamel. Dental crowns typically look like natural teeth in shape. If you opt for porcelain dental crowns, they will also match your natural teeth’ color.

What Does a Crown Do?

Dental crowns are for restoring damaged tooth structure. A dental crown encapsulates an entire tooth, serving as a replacement for the enamel like a dental cap would.

In this way, the dentist will use a tooth crown to restore strength and optimize the functionality of diseased or damaged teeth.

Some of the dental problems that a dental crown can fix are:

1. Broken, chipped, and cracked teeth – particularly if a big chunk of the tooth’s framework is compromised. At a crown dental clinic, a tooth crown is an ideal solution for fractures to prevent tooth loss.
2. To hold dental fillings – after repairing your diseased tooth with a tooth filling, you may still need a dental crown. The role of a tooth crown in such a case is to hold the tooth filling in place while reinforcing the tooth’s strength. It is usually necessary when you receive a sizeable dental filling that may weaken the remaining tooth structure.
3. For dental implants – the only way to complete an implantation procedure is by using a different dental appliance to crown the implant. In many cases, particularly regarding single-tooth replacements, dentists use dental crowns to complete implantation treatments.
4. For bridgework – dental bridges are crucial for replacing lost teeth. However, they feature an artificial replacement tooth called a pontic that cannot replace teeth independently. Instead, the pontic requires reinforcement from one or two dental crowns anchored on the existing adjacent teeth.

What to Expect When Getting a Dental Crown?

The procedures for getting dental crowns at Okemos Smile Center are often much different from what patients anticipate. Although surgery is not involved when installing dental crowns, the procedure is invasive.

Some of the steps to anticipate during your treatment are:

1. Numbing – dentists use local anesthesia to numb your mouth, ensuring you undergo a pain-free and comfortable procedure. Sedation may be necessary if you have dental anxiety or have trouble sitting still during your treatment.
2. Tooth preparation – typically involves shaving the tooth’s enamel. The dentist will remove all the damaged portions of your tooth’s structure. Besides that, the goal is to create ample room for a dental crown.
3. Taking impressions – the dentist will take impressions of your prepared tooth. The molded impressions serve as measurements for customizing a perfectly fitting dental crown.
4. Temporary crown – your dentist will place a temporary crown over your tooth. The crown will protect the target tooth for the next two weeks as your dentist works on creating your permanent crown in a dental laboratory.
5. Installation of the crown – your dentist will be ready to install the crown on the second dental visit. The process employs dental cement and lasers to cure it. The crown should take a few minutes to adhere to your natural tooth.

Why Shouldn’t You Wait to Get a Crown?

Getting a dental crown immediately after your dental trauma is crucial for optimizing your mouth’s functionality. Unfortunately, way too many people delay their treatments because they do not comprehend the benefits of getting dental crowns.

Our dentist near you advises against waiting too long before getting a crown because the damage can advance and worsen. Ideally, the longer you leave a tooth unprotected, the more likely the damage will get too large.

Eventually, you will not have much of your natural tooth structure remaining. You cannot benefit from a dental crown if your tooth structure gets severely compromised. You need to consider other treatment options like tooth extractions and dental implants.

Besides, dental crowns have many benefits, including the following:

1. They look and feel like natural teeth, giving your smile the aesthetic elevation you desire.
2. They restore your mouth’s optimal functionality.
3. They prevent the need for tooth extractions.
4. They are durable – most dental crowns last between 10 and 15 years.