When a tooth becomes damaged or rotten with decay, time is of the essence to find a permanent solution before bacteria or shifting teeth take their toll on the rest of your smile. Fortunately, dental crown solutions have come a long way in modern dentistry, and reshaping a damaged tooth to be fitted with an artificial crown has never been easier or more pain-free than it is today. Our team at Brady Dental of Amarillo is here to offer a superior dental experience and can get you back into a good-as-new smile quickly, gently, and easily.

We offer a variety of crown options at Brady Dental, and porcelain has become a crowd favorite because of its unique color-matching properties while still offering the durability and functionality that patients have come to expect from a permanent tooth replacement. As the porcelain professionals of the Panhandle, we can get a compromised tooth replaced with the perfect crown that is nearly indistinguishable from the original tooth. Now that’s something worth smiling about!

Do I Need a Dental Crown?

Patients often ask when a crown is the right procedure for them to pursue. While small cavities can be repaired with simple fillings, sometimes tooth damage becomes so extensive that most of the tooth needs to be removed and replaced with a crown. Though this might sound invasive, it’s actually a common procedure that modern dentists have become incredibly skillful and efficient in performing.

To prepare for a crown, a damaged tooth is reduced down to a smaller profile so that the root and some amount of surface structure will remain and act as an anchor. Crowns are custom-shaped to look exactly like your natural tooth and fit on top like a cap, cemented to the remaining structure. The crown itself will provide the same function as a real tooth and will last for years when properly cared for.

Porcelain crowns provide some unique benefits to your long-lasting smile:

1. Preserve your look. Porcelain crowns are an excellent choice for damaged and decayed front teeth. You’ll never worry about your look when showcasing them in a photograph, as the custom design process will outfit you with a tooth that is precise to the color of your smile, and shaped to be indistinguishable from a real tooth.
2. Relieve discomfort. Tooth pain is a famously unfavorable companion, but many people will live with it for weeks (or more!) before seeking a permanent solution. Replacing a decayed tooth with a porcelain crown will relieve you of a world of pain, and provide you with a functional tooth that can get some serious chewing done pain-free! Always let toothaches be your personal reminder that it’s time for a dental checkup. No need to live in pain another day.
3. Timely crown replacement preserves alignment. When you look back at your photos one day, you’ll see one consistent feature through the years: your smile! By having damaged teeth replaced with a crown in a timely manner, you’ll prevent the shifting and gap-filling that naturally occurs when a modification in the teeth is left unattended.

When Considering Porcelain Crowns

Porcelain crowns come in two varieties:

1. Full Composite: Full porcelain crowns are the same substance all the way through, and can be affixed to a tooth where there is still a large surface for the crown to attach to. This crown will provide the most uniform cosmetic look for your smile.
2. Porcelain Fused to Metal (PFM): The metal interior in this crown can be affixed to much smaller remains of the original tooth, and is one of the most affordable crowns on the market. The downside is that there is some visible metal interior near the gum line and the porcelain has a tendency to break away from the metal coping which then would require a new crown..

Porcelain crowns are often chosen because they can be color-customized, and the porcelain crown is hard to tell apart from the teeth around it. It is also one of the more budget-friendly options among the variety of crowns on the market today.

These crowns will still be fully capable of chewing regular foods, and will last for years, but will require more thoughtful care. Wearers of crowns want to avoid chewing very hard substances like ice or popcorn kernels. Even regular teeth should avoid chewing such substances, but a porcelain crown may become chipped and damaged from this kind of use. And it is always a great thing to remember that we do not treat teeth like tools. Do not open packages, chew on pen caps, or strip wire using your teeth; this will help keep the need for crowns down!

Restoring Your Smile

Here at Brady Dental of Amarillo, patients are always treated with respect and friendly care. We understand that restoring your smile is important to you, and we are here to serve you with great dental procedures that will make your teeth look and feel good as new.

We want our patients to understand dental procedures before they start, and our team of professionals will help you select the right crown option for your smile, and give guidance in caring for your brand-new tooth. If you have questions about crowns or have a tooth you think might finally need to be replaced, just call us today to schedule a quick dental appointment. We’re here for you and your tooth, and that’s the truth! (806) 353-6422