4 Reasons to Consider Porcelain Dental Crowns

Many factors lead to an unhealthy or unattractive smile, including genetics, poor eating habits, and a bad oral hygiene routine. However, many restorative and cosmetic procedures are available to give you back a beautiful smile and improve your overall oral health, like porcelain dental crowns.

Porcelain dental crowns are a popular choice among our patients at Snodgrass-King Dental. Porcelain dental crowns fix many cosmetic and structural issues, making them a great choice for your smile makeover in or around Nashville. Check out these four reasons you should consider porcelain dental crowns.

1. They Are Natural Looking

If you want a brighter smile, you may have considered tooth whitening, but some dental stains are resistant to tooth whitening, such as those from trauma. These stains may not be affected by tooth bleaching agents, but you can hide the stains with porcelain dental crowns. They give the tooth a new surface, which can be colored to various shades of white.

The material used in porcelain crowns is also natural-looking because it has the same translucent appearance as natural tooth tissue. Most people won’t even notice you have crowns, and because they cover any fillings too, everyone will think your teeth are naturally healthy.

2. They Fix Many Cosmetic Concerns at Once

Porcelain dental crowns are a great way to fix many cosmetic concerns at once, especially cracks, chips, and uneven teeth. However, if you have mild crookedness or gapping, dental crowns can also make your teeth look straight without actually moving them like braces. This makes them a great choice if your teeth are too weak from major decay for braces and/or you have other cosmetic concerns too.

Porcelain dental crowns are also resistant to stains, so your teeth should stay whiter longer. If they do begin to show signs of stains, however, they cannot be whitened like normal teeth, so you’ll have to get new crowns.

Now even though crowns can be used for cosmetic dentistry purposes, they have even more protective benefits.

3. They Provide Better Protection for Weak Teeth

Ceramic crowns are ideal if you have weak teeth from big cracks, chips, decay, fillings, etc. Weak teeth are more likely to shatter because they have vulnerable spots where the filling meets the tooth or along the crack. When pressure is applied to the tooth during eating or grinding, it may be too much for the tooth, causing it to shatter.

A dental crown covers the tooth, creating a new, even surface. This helps strengthen the tooth so it is less likely to break. Your dentist may even be able to rebuild a shattered tooth and protect it with a crown, depending on its location. 

On back teeth, dentists recommend porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns because of their better durability when compared to other types of crowns. Especially compared to resin crowns, which wear down the fastest out of any type of permanent crown.

4. They Cover Every Exposed Surface of the Tooth

Dental crowns also help protect the teeth better than tooth enamel. The dental crown process is permanent because your teeth’s natural enamel is removed and replaced with the crown. This acts as a great barrier against bacteria, plaque, and tartar, so your tooth is less likely to experience further decay or develop an infection.

It’s important, however, to continue caring for your teeth well because the teeth are exposed at the gum line. If irritation to the gums causes them to recede, bacteria may reach the tooth. It can even get under the crown or attack the crown.

Porcelain dental crowns are a great choice if you want to drastically improve the overall appearance of your smile, especially if your teeth are weak. Even with porcelain dental crowns, however, the only way to keep your smile healthy is with good oral hygiene habits.

When to Get A Dental Crown

If you are in good health, but you know your teeth are weaker, you should talk to your dentist and ask for their opinion. They will give you a recommendation, but typically sooner is better than later. Postponing dental treatment allows more problems to develop down the line.

A good candidate for a porcelain dental crown is someone with overall good health and minimal damage to the tooth. Crowns usually require that enough healthy enamel and pulp are available for your dentist to fit with a crown. 

One of the main indicators that you need a dental crown is pain when you bite down. This is a sign that the tooth is severely damaged and need extra protection. Physical signs can include cracks, large cavities, broken cusps, and large chips in your teeth. These warning signs also indicate that your tooth is close to breaking.

Usually, you will not need to have a root canal in order to receive a crown. However, if you do need a root canal, you will need to receive a crown as part of your treatment. 

Now, you should know that these examples make up the more extreme cases that need dental crowns. You may need a crown far before you start to see these signs. 

Cosmetic Signs

As we’ve discussed, crowns can also improve the overall appearance of your teeth. Therefore, if your teeth are misshapen or stained you may be a good candidate for a dental crown. Of course, tooth decay does cause cosmetic problems, therefore, noticeable decay is a valid reason to get a crown.

Physical Signs

Aside from noticeable decay and cracks, tooth grinding or bruxisms is a strong indicator that you will need a crown. Also, if you have weak teeth, the chance for needing a crown goes up. Another potential factor is if you have teeth that have had multiple fillings. 

Essentially, if your teeth have sustained damage that has weakened the enamel overall, you may need a dental crown. Be sure to ask your dentist any questions you have about how you might benefit from receiving a dental crown.

After you receive a recommendation, you should set an appointment and begin preparing for the procedure. 

How To Take Care of A Porcelain Crown

Number one, you should always take care of your teeth. Maintain good brushing habits and floss regularly. Gently flossing around your new crown will help prevent bacteria and plaque from building up and attacking your crown, teeth, and gums.

Avoid chewing any sticky or hard foods. Especially, avoid chewing ice cubes as they cause micro-cracks to form in both the tooth enamel and porcelain crowns. The longer you chew on ice cubes, the more damage you will cause to your teeth.

Remember that a crown is an investment in your appearance and health. Your dentist will give you more specific instructions to help you protect your dental crown.

Porcelain Dental Crowns at Snodgrass and King Dentistry

If you think dental crowns are the right choice for you, or you would like to know what other cosmetic services we offer, contact us today to schedule a consultation. We also offer other types of dental services like veneers, dental bridges, and dentures. Our dentists are trained to provide you with the best dental care whether you’re young or young at heart. Visit a Snodgrass and King office near you in Middle Tennessee (Mt. Juliet, Murfreesboro, Spring Hill, Franklin and Cool Springs).