If you’re scheduled to get a dental crown, you may be a little nervous or unsure what to expect. Thankfully, getting a crown is nothing to fear. In fact, don’t think of it as a bad thing, think of it as a deluxe filling.
Crowns are used to repair broken teeth, in root canals, or to provide a filling to a tooth with a large area of decay. They are made at a dental lab using impressions of your own tooth, so they will fit in seamlessly with the rest of your mouth. In fact, they look so much like real teeth you may forget you have one!
Here’s what you can expect from your dental crown procedure.
Getting A Dental Crown
During your initial appointment, your dentist will remove the damaged area of your tooth and make way for your permanent crown. In the meantime, you will be sent home with a temporary crown that will protect the tooth from further damage. If this falls off or becomes loose, contact your dentist at once, as it is important to protect the natural tooth below.
You may experience some discomfort after your dentist removes the damaged areas. You will be under local anesthesia for this portion of the procedure. After it wears off, you can ease any discomfort with over-the-counter pain medication.
While you have your temporary crown, follow these care guidelines:
- Don’t floss vertically
- Do not chew with it if possible
- Avoid sticky foods
- Avoid hard foods
Once your new crown arrives, you can return to the dentist’s office to have it placed. This is done by first removing the temporary one and cementing the new one over the existing tooth.
Following your procedure, you may feel some sensitivity in the tooth and surrounding gum tissue, but this is only temporary.
Caring For Your New Crown
Once your new crown is in place, you can return to your daily activities, but you should avoid eating anything too sticky for the next day or so to ensure that the cement has time to harden.
Otherwise, you can care for your new crown the same way you do your natural teeth: brush twice a day, floss at least once a day, and visit your dentist for your regular, semi-annual appointments.
Remember, dental crowns are meant to help protect your natural tooth from further damage, all the while providing you with a safe and beautiful-looking restoration that functions just like your other teeth!
About Dr. Shkurti
Dr. Eduart Shkurti enjoys performing many aspects of dentistry, from general exams to restorations and cosmetic procedures. He is an active member of the American Dental Association (ADA), the New York Dental Society and the Astoria County Dental Society and is fluent in English and Albanian.
To schedule an appointment at ED Family Dental, please visit our website or call us today at 718-806-1662.