How Do Crowns Work?

Many have heard the term but in reality have no idea what exactly the purpose of a crown is. At Raleigh Comprehensive and Cosmetic Dentistry one of our core goals is to educate our patients on anything and everything related to what we do. It’s our goal to keep you informed so that you understand exactly how a particular procedure is done. If you have a damaged tooth, a crown or “cap” would be used to cover that tooth. Additionally, the crown can help improve the appearance, shape or alignment of a tooth as well. Besides strengthening a damaged tooth, a crown can be used to improve its appearance, shape or alignment. A crown can also be placed on top of an implant to provide a tooth-like shape and structure for function. Porcelain or ceramic crowns can be matched to the color of your natural teeth. Other materials include gold and metal alloys, acrylic and ceramic. These alloys are generally stronger than porcelain and may be recommended for back teeth. As a patient with Raleigh Comprehensive and Cosmetic Dentistry we will carefully go over all options for this type of procedure so that we can best determine the type of of crown or cap that would best suit your specific dental needs.

Based on his assessment Dr. Williamson may recommend a crown to:

Cover a tooth that has had root canal treatment
Cover a discolored or poorly shaped tooth
Replace a large filling when there isn’t enough tooth remaining
Protect a weak tooth from fracturing
Restore a fractured tooth
Attach a bridge
Cover a dental implant

Putting In A Crown – How It Works

Once we determine the type of crown you’ll need, the tooth (or teeth) must be reduced in size so that the crown or bridge will fit over it properly. After this is done, he will take an impression in order to get an exact mold for the crown or bridge. If you have decided to use porcelain, the right shade for the crown needs to be selected to match the color of your existing teeth. Using the dental impression, a dental lab then makes your crown or bridge, in the material we specify. A temporary crown will be put in place to cover the prepared tooth while the permanent crown is being made. When the permanent crown is ready, the temporary crown is removed, and the new crown is cemented over your prepared tooth or teeth.

Long Lasting Effects of Crowns

For the most part, crowns or caps can last a lifetime. Sometimes though they do loosen or on rare occasions fall out. The most important thing you can do to ensure their longevity is what you should be doing regularly anyway – good oral hygiene. That means brushing at least twice a day and flossing. Also making sure you follow up with regular visits to Raleigh Comprehensive and Cosmetic Dentistry will allow us to check on health of your crowns as well. Ultimately having crowns put in can have tremendous benefit to the longevity of your teeth and as a patient of Dr. Williamson we will not only do the job right but make sure you are well taken care of.

Contact Us

Phone: (919) 828-3775
Fax: (919) 755-3806
Business Hours:
Monday-Thursday 8am – 5pm
Friday hours may vary

Glenwood South/
Boylan Avenue
119 North Boylan Avenue
Raleigh, NC 27603

Free parking just steps from our front door.

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