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Types of Tooth Crowns

Most dentists will agree that the tooth crown is at the heart of general dentistry. They've all studied dental crowns in dental school, and some have done their best work replacing a missing tooth and saving the rest.

Research has given them the wherewithal to achieve virtually ideal restorations. They are natural looking, comfortable and stable in the moist environment of the mouth. Cosmetic dentistry professionals are better equipped now more than ever to build strong, long-lasting and cosmetically superior dental crowns.

What is a dental crown?

A crown (or cap) is a restoration placed over broken teeth or a cracked tooth that cannot sustain a conventional filling. By covering the biting surfaces and sides of the tooth, a dental crown strengthens the damaged tooth by binding together the remaining structures. There are basically three kinds of full-crown restorations that can be placed by your cosmetic dentist, each with pros and cons, depending on your situation.

A gold crown or metal alloy crowns have the longest track record for durability, but some people object to the look of metal.

A full porcelain crown - and its new ceramic cousin - looks wonderful and fits well; however, porcelain crowns are usually best on front teeth where stress is not so great.

Porcelain-fused-to-metal dental crowns are our loyal work-horses for single-tooth restoration - they're very strong.

There are elements of finesse in the creation of any crown. The fit is the thing. The teeth must be prepared with opposing teeth in mind so a good bite won't go bad after the crown is placed. The fit must accommodate adjacent teeth, too. And the "margin," the part of the crown nearest the gum, must fit smoothly to protect the health of gum tissue.

And all this effort is to one end: to save a tooth.

When is a dental crown called for?

• A tooth that has been filled more than once cracks, breaks off, or falls victim to secondary caries - a cavity under or around a filling.
• You've had root canal treatment on a molar, and it's prone to brittleness.
• A tooth has suffered severe enamel wear.
• The high school hockey star takes a blow in the mouth, and an otherwise sound tooth is broken.
• You need an anchor for your new dental bridge.

+Jim Du Molin is a leading Internet search expert helping individuals and families connect with the right dentist in their area. Visit his author page.

Visit a Cosmetic Dentist - Raise Your Self-Esteem

What can cosmetic dental work do for your self-esteem that all the pots of cream and eyeliner on Madison Avenue can't? While we agree with the ad men that esthetics motivate how people see us, value us, and respond to us, true natural beauty has to do with good health, not technique with a make-up brush. When you admire the dazzling smile of that Revlon model, will you buy the lipstick - or seek the restorative dentistry that perfected the smile? Dentistry thee smile to health and symmetry. Cosmetics? Sure. But call on cosmetic dentistry for a beautiful smile that won't wash off.

• Vertical dimension is a key element in a pretty smile. It is the height between two points - one on the upper jaw, one on the lower - when the bite is closed. When vertical dimension is askew, facial features can appear "collapsed." A good denture maintains esthetic vertical dimension, likewise muscle tone and youthful looks.
• Sex a factor in dentistry? So-called masculine front teeth are boxier, more prominent, with "bold" cuspids, slightly rotated. A "feminine" smile has more delicate, rounder teeth, and open incisal embrasures, spaces, between the curved surfaces of adjoining teeth. This norm is changing, though. Women are seeking a "sportier" look.
• The "smile line" is used by some believers as a guide to cosmetic dental harmony. The theory goes that the curve of the bottom lip should reflect the curve of the upper front teeth. Whether your six front teeth are natural, or part of a denture or dental bridge, restorative dentistry can help bring out the best in your smile line.
• An early orthodontics evaluation assures healthy growth into a sound, balanced bite. The position of the jaw will determine profile. For jaw abnormalities, orthognathic surgery brings nothing short of miraculous results.
• Wear. As we age, our front teeth naturally wear down to an even line. Rounding edges with tooth bonding or dental veneers will achieve a younger aspect.
• Beautiful gums are intrinsic to a beautiful smile. Coral in color, firm-healthy gums are, well, sexy.
• Euclid's concept of "golden proportion" is followed by many cosmetic dentistry professionals. The rule holds that the most esthetically pleasing smile has certain proportions. Each tooth in this "perfect" smile is about 60% the size of the tooth just in front of it.
• Young teeth have more texture - stippling, concavity - than older teeth worn smooth with age.
• Light. The way teeth reflect light is another factor in pleasing the eye. Dental crowns, bridgework, dentures and other cosmetic dental work can be tinted to capture and reflect light just like natural teeth. Michelangelo, move over.
• A low lip line - one that hides tooth and gum in a grin - can be compensated for by veneering. The front teeth are lengthened to regain "ideal" form.

+Jim Du Molin is a leading Internet search expert helping individuals and families connect with the right dentist in their area. Visit his author page.