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Porcelain crowns are a very successful option for repairing cracked, broken, decayed or heavily filled teeth. A crown completely covers the damaged tooth above the gum line and so protects it. The colour is matched to that of your own teeth and, as crowns are very strong, they can look and feel exactly like natural teeth.
Once you have had a consultation with your dentist and discussed all the treatment options, he/she will prepare the tooth for crowning. The first stage is to clean the tooth, remove any decay and reshape it using a burr (a special dental drill for shaping teeth) under local anaesthesia. The shape of the prepared tooth is usually tapered to allow the crown sit comfortably over the top of it. Once the tooth is prepared, an impression (mould) of your teeth will be taken using a special dental impression material. This impression is sent to a dental laboratory, which will use the impression of the prepared tooth as a guide to fabricate the new crown to fit perfectly. It usually takes between two to three weeks for a laboratory technician to custom-fabricate your new crown. During this time, your dentist will fit you with a temporary crown to cover and protect your prepared tooth.
On your second visit, your dentist will remove the temporary crown and roughen the outer surface of your prepared tooth with a special etching acid to give the dental cement a good surface to bond to. Your dentist will sit the crown over your tooth to see if it fits with your smile correctly and is the right colour and shape. Once you are both happy with the restoration and how it looks, your dentist will cement the crown firmly into place.
This will depend largely on how well you look after your teeth. Dental crowns require the same level of care and attention as your natural teeth. Provided you have a good oral hygiene program, attend regular checkups at your dentist, don't grind your teeth, maintain a tooth-kind diet and don't do things like open beer bottles with your teeth, a high-quality dental crown can last 10-15 years.
Prices start at £633
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