A dental crown is a customized tooth cap designed to cover a damaged tooth in order to restore its shape and size, enhance its strength, and improve its appearance. When successfully cemented in place, a dental crown encases the portion of the tooth above the gum line, providing total protection. 

Dental Crowns for Tooth Repair 

This may be necessary if you have extensive tooth damage that has compromised the structure of your natural teeth. For instance, your dentist may recommend dental crowns to:

• Protect a chipped, broken, or fractured tooth and prevent further damage
• Repair large cavities that cannot be successfully repaired with dental fillings 
• Replace previously placed fillings and strengthen the tooth. 
• Encase a tooth restored with root canal therapy to strengthen it and cover up the filler material for an aesthetic finish 

Dental Crowns for Tooth Replacement

If you want to replace one or more missing teeth, your dentist may recommend either bridgework or implants. A dental bridge refers to an artificial tooth that is anchored to the teeth adjacent to the gap, holding it firmly in place. The artificial tooth is bonded to the adjacent teeth through dental crowns so it stays suspended in the gap. If you opt for dental implants, a titanium post will be implanted into the jawbone to serve as the tooth root. Once it heals, a crown will be connected to the post via an abutment, becoming your replacement tooth. 

Dental Crowns for Cosmetic Purposes 

Dental crowns are custom-made to restore the shape, size, and even shade of a damaged tooth if you use a tooth-colored crown. As such, your dentist may recommend crowns to enhance the appearance of imperfect teeth such as:

• Excessively or unevenly worn down – resulting in very short teeth 
• Badly shaped teeth 
• Severely stained teeth 
• Widely gapped teeth 

Learn More about Dental Crowns

Depending on your specific case, your dentist will help you choose the most appropriate material for your custom dental crowns, restoring the function or aesthetic of your mouth, or both. To learn more about Dental Crowns in Watertown MN please contact us today.