You’ve likely grown up listening to your parents and local dentist explain why it is important to maintain good oral hygiene. Preventive care is key to lowering your risk for cavities, gum disease, bad breath, and other common problems. Unfortunately, genetics, a dental emergency, and frequent lapses in brushing and flossing can lead to weakened and damaged teeth that require restorative treatment. One of the most popular and newly advanced solutions is same-day crowns. Instead of waiting weeks for a permanent prosthetic, you can now see a fully restored smile in just one visit to the dentist’s office. Read on to learn more about the creation process and how you can extend the life of your customized restoration.
Preventive Care is Key: How to Avoid a Crown
Dental crowns are designed for individuals in need of added protection for decayed or damaged teeth. Also known as “caps,” they are customized to fit over the tooth and safeguard its structural integrity. Viewed as a safe and reliable restorative solution, your dentist is fully capable of placing these artificial teeth but is more interested in helping you avoid the possibility of needing one in the first place.
If you want to keep your natural teeth healthy and free of restorative work, preventive care is key. From practicing good oral habits at home to receiving bi-annual dental checkups and cleanings, you and your dentist can work together to ensure a lifetime of healthy teeth and gums. You might even consider embracing fluoride treatments and/or mouthguards should you suffer from bruxism to ensure your enamel remains strong and better protected.
When Problems Arise: Same-Day Crowns
Even if you are diligent in your oral hygiene routine and regularly see your dentist twice a year, problems can still arise that may be out of your control. Should this happen, your dentist has a solution – same-day crowns. These revolutionary restorations make it possible to skip the temporary prosthetic and instead, receive your permanent, finalized crown while you wait.
Using CEREC (Chairside Economical Restorative Esthetic Ceramics) technology and CAD/CAM software, your dentist can clean and prep your weakened tooth before using a handheld device to scan your tooth. Creating a 3D model on a nearby screen, a dental professional will make necessary adjustments before sending the image to the CEREC in-house milling unit. Inserting a piece of durable 100% white dental porcelain, the machine will create your new crown. Once completed, your dentist will bond the restoration over your tooth, ensuring it blends in beautifully with the rest of your smile.
Within a few hours, you will have a fully restored smile that is functional, looks natural, and is healthier than when you arrived.
Extending the Life of Your Smile: Ways to Care for Your Crown
Since a dental crown is an investment in time and money, you’ll want to extend its life as much as possible. To do this, you can follow these steps:
- Brush your teeth twice daily for two minutes using fluoride toothpaste and a soft-bristled toothbrush
- Floss at least once a day, preferably before bed, being mindful to clean the area around your crown
- Rinse using an antimicrobial mouthwash to flush away any debris and bacteria left behind
- Avoid hard, crunchy foods, as these can damage your real and artificial teeth
- Never use your teeth to open packages or containers
- Wear mouth protection while playing sports or if you suffer from bruxism (teeth grinding)
While the ultimate goal is to pursue preventive care and avoid the potential for a dental crown, it’s not always attainable. Fortunately, should you ever require one, you can trust that your dentist has a viable solution that will restore your smile and keep your natural teeth healthy and in place for years to come.
About the Author
Dr. Tim Vacek attended the University of Nebraska Medical College of
Dentistry and earned his DDS before going on to practice in the state of
Wisconsin. Eventually, he returned to Nebraska and opened Amberly Dental in
2009. Providing excellent preventive care, he and his team are committed to helping
patients decrease their risk of tooth decay, gum disease, and other harmful
dental problems. Should an issue arise, Dr. Vacek is ready to offer same-day
crowns to add protection to weakened teeth. If you have a decayed or damaged
tooth and want to know more about CEREC crowns, contact us at (402)
786-2007.