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Repairing A Broken, Chipped, Or Malformed Tooth

End The Embarrassment Of A Single Unsightly Tooth

Have you ever thought, “I love my smile, but I hate that one tooth!”

Having one problem tooth can make you feel like your years of dental visits and good hygiene don’t mean a thing. All people see is that one bad tooth that calls attention to itself.

If this is a problem you are familiar with, we have good news. A damaged or malformed tooth does not have to stay that way. There are easy, fast solutions available that can quickly make your smile more symmetrical and attractive.

Chipped And Broken Teeth

As we age, tooth enamel becomes more brittle. Biting and chewing on hard foods that once were no problem may unexpectedly break a tooth and hit you with a case of dental anxiety: Are all my teeth going to start breaking? Am I starting to fall apart? Is this how it starts? Am I on a fast road to dentures?

Panic attacks aside, having a broken or chipped tooth is bad for many reasons. It can detract from your confidence in your appearance and in your ability to bite and chew your food. It can also weaken the tooth and make it more vulnerable to decay and infection. Teeth suddenly breaking may feel like a serious catastrophe, but it’s actually very common for adults to sustain this type of damage. In many cases, the tooth can be restored with a dental crown. These tooth-shaped protective caps give you a durable artificial tooth that will harmonize with your smile and give you a reliable biting or chewing surface for years to come. Crowns are typically made of strong dental porcelain, metal, or porcelain-fused-to-metal (PFM). Unlike your natural teeth, crowns do not stain like natural enamel, nor are they susceptible to cavities.

Porcelain veneers are another option for correcting a damaged tooth. These ultra-thin ceramic shells fit over the front of a tooth, to create a brand-new surface for the world to see. They are every bit as durable as dental crowns, but do not encircle the whole tooth.

When you come to Maple Grove Dentistry, Dr. Russell Jensen will examine your tooth and suggest one of these treatments, based on the condition of the tooth and the extent of the damage.

Malformed Teeth

Teeth that naturally look a little different from their peers offer their own unique frustrations. The tooth may be too short, have an unusually ridged edge, or may be significantly smaller than your other teeth. Individual teeth can also appear to be a darker color than your other teeth. In all these cases, a dental crown or porcelain veneer can be crafted to match the surrounding teeth and hide the natural appearance of the malformed tooth.

About Dental Crowns And Veneers

Dental crowns and porcelain veneers are considered a permanent treatment for teeth. In order to be permanently affixed to your tooth, a small amount of enamel must be resurfaced. This means that once you get a crown or veneer, you won’t be able to go back to not having one, as the treated enamel may be sensitive and will be more vulnerable to damage.

Crowns and veneers typically take two dental appointments. At the first appointment, Dr. Jensen will conduct the examination, take x-rays, and resurface the tooth enamel. He will also take a dental impression, which will be used to create the restoration in an off-site laboratory. A temporary crown or veneer will be affixed to the tooth before you go home. After one-to-two weeks, the permanent crown or veneer will be ready and we will call you in for the second appointment.

You Can Fix That Tooth!

If you have a broken, chipped, or malformed tooth, you may feel like hiding your smile—but that’s no way to live. Your smile is the most basic way you reach out to others in the world; it tells people you are open, friendly, and ready to interact. When you are embarrassed about an aspect of your smile, you might spend a lot of effort trying to hide the problem, but we want you to know that am easy solution is in reach.

To make an appointment at Maple Grove Dentistry, call 208-853-2221 to reach our Boise, ID dental office.

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What Is The Best Way To Repair A Damaged Tooth?

Repairing a damaged tooth is important for maintaining a show-stopping smile, as well as for the health and functioning of all your teeth. If you fail to repair a tooth, you may lose that tooth and the chances of losing another tooth increases. The best way to repair a badly damaged tooth is a dental crown, which acts as a protective cap for what remains after the damaged enamel is removed. Boise, ID dentist Dr. Russell Jensen uses gentle dentistry techniques to provide the best results from dental procedures. Your comfort is our priority, if you’re feeling anxious about having a dental crown placed, Dr. Jensen can provide oral sedation and a gentle touch to get you through your procedure and leave you with a beautiful, toothy grin.

At Maple Grove Dentistry, we do everything we can to help you feel comfortable during your dental procedures. To learn more about repairing a badly damaged tooth, schedule your appointment with Dr. Jensen today in Boise, ID. Call 208-853-2221.

Replacing One Tooth With A Crown

Dr. Jensen encourages patients to get a dental crown when they wish to repair a decayed or cracked tooth because it provides a durable replacement that completely caps the damaged tooth. A dental crown can solve a failed restoration, cover a severely decayed tooth, and cover tooth cracks that leave the tooth susceptible for future breakage by replacing the outer tooth, or the part of the tooth that is seen. A crown resists future tooth decay, however it does leave the tooth root vulnerable, so care should be taken to make sure gingivitis and gum disease do not set in and expose roots to bacteria. Dr. Jensen will replace the damaged enamel with a custom-made crown that matches the rest of your smile, leaving no evidence of restorative work. You will however notice drastic improvements in the function and appearance of your smile.

What Is A Crown?

A single dental crown is created from either metal, porcelain, or porcelain fused to metal (PFM). A porcelain crown can easily be matched to the shade of your natural teeth to ensure a more integrative restoration and beautiful results. No matter which material you choose to have your crown created from, they’re easy to care for. Dr. Jensen instructs patients to continue proper brushing and flossing habits to extend the durability of their tooth replacement, as well as to maintain a radiant smile that will fill you with confidence.

With a dental crown, you’ll have a sturdy replacement for the lost enamel structure of your tooth. You won’t experience any limitations during eating, such as having to stop eating hard foods. Permanent crowns are uniquely created to fit your mouth comfortably and provide you with a natural-looking restoration. After having a crown placed, you will have the freedom to use your teeth to their full ability, without limitations.

Dental Crown Procedure

Deciding to restore a decayed tooth is an important decision. Once you feel completely comfortable with your decision, you can expect a permanent, durable crown in two dental visits. At the first visit, Dr. Jensen will prepare the tooth by removing all the damaged enamel. If he finds that the pulp chamber has been penetrated, he may also need to apply root canal therapy. He will then take an impression of the tooth. The impression will be sent to the dental laboratory to aid in the creation of your custom-made crown.

During the first visit, Dr. Jensen will also prep the area for the permanent crown. He will clean the area and remove any damaged enamel. This part is different for each patient, so the extent of the preparation varies. After prepping the space, Dr. Jensen will place a temporary crown to provide your mouth with some support while your permanent crown is being created for you. You’ll wear your temporary crown for roughly a week. This won’t provide you with as much durability as your permanent restoration will, but it will get you through the week.

When your permanent crown is received, Dr. Jensen will permanently attach it to your underlying tooth. Just as the name suggests, this will provide you with a permanent tooth restoration. It will appear and feel natural in your mouth, once you’re used to the crown.

Restoring a badly decayed tooth reduces embarrassment and provides you with full function of your mouth.  Don’t wait to talk to Dr. Jensen about getting a dental crown. Schedule your appointment today in Boise, ID. Call 208-853-2221.

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Dental Crowns For A Gorgeous Grin

At Maple Grove Dentistry, we treat patients with many types of dental problems. From filling cavities to performing root canal treatments, Dr. Russell Jensen can perform any dental procedure you need.

For patients with cracked, broken, or severely decayed teeth, this typically entails the placing of dental crowns.

The placement of dental crowns, one of the most common dental procedures performed today, has helped many patients restore beauty to their damaged smiles.

When consulting with patients who require crowns, Dr. Jensen usually recommends white porcelain dental crowns, as they provide the most natural, lifelike restoration available.

To learn more about dental crowns and how they can improve your smile, contact our Boise, ID dental office today at (208) 853-2221 and schedule a consultation with Dr. Jensen.

About Dental Crowns

Dental crowns protect teeth damaged by severe decay, fractures, and breaks from incurring further damage, while restoring a natural, healthy look to your smile. The doctor can use them to replace large fillings when the tooth doesn’t have enough structure remaining to support a new filling.

Crowns provide support for dental bridges needed when patients have lost one or more teeth. The doctor also often uses crowns to cover the site of a root canal therapy procedure.

Dr. Jensen places dental crowns over damaged teeth, which he prepares by removing a small amount of their enamel layer. The crowns are bonded in place to provide stability and structure to the damaged tooth. The doctor may also place a crown as a restoration for a dental implant, to replace missing the missing tooth and its root.

Technicians in a U.S.-based dental lab fabricate these custom designed shells to achieve a permanent, snug fit over severely damaged teeth. We can create crowns from porcelain, metal, or porcelain-fused-to-metal (PFM). Dr. Jensen recommends porcelain crowns for your front teeth, because they look the most natural.

Types Of Crowns Available

Dr. Jensen will design your dental crown from one of several materials. If you have difficulty deciding which type of crown works best for you, the doctor will happily go over the pros and cons of each to help you with your decision. Your dental crown options include:

Metal Crowns

Traditionally constructed out of gold, platinum, silver or other metals, these crowns were once the standard. They provide great durability and withstand most biting and chewing forces without chipping or breaking. They also allow for more of the tooth’s original structure to remain than other crowns. Aesthetically, however, metal crowns prove inferior to all other materials, as they cause dark spots to appear on an otherwise bright smile. While most dentists placed nothing but metal crowns for over a hundred years, they mostly use them only for repairing teeth in the back of the mouth now, if at all.

Porcelain-Fused-to-Metal Crowns

PFM crowns have become very popular in recent years. They have an aesthetically pleasing appearance and great durability. The most popular material for crowns next to ceramic, PFM crowns provide structure and strength that most other materials lack. Some patients, however, may experience trouble with these crowns wearing down opposing teeth more than other types of crowns. The doctor can match the porcelain color to the patient’s natural teeth, making the crown virtually indistinguishable from the rest of the teeth. As patients age, however, their gums start receding, and a dark line where the metal and porcelain meet may become visible at the gum line.

Porcelain Crowns

The most cosmetically pleasing of all crowns, Dr. Jensen designs porcelain crowns to provide the most lifelike restoration available. The material used for these crowns, which the doctor can match to the color of your natural teeth, mimics the translucence and natural reflectivity of tooth enamel, giving them the most natural appearance. Porcelain crowns provide resistance to stains, so you should not need whitening treatments to keep them looking clean and white. If you plan to have your teeth whitened, Dr. Jensen will typically suggest doing so before having a dental crown placed, as it will resist the whitening treatment as well.

Placing A Traditional Dental Crown

The process of placing a ceramic crown typically requires two visits to our office. You will start the first visit by having a one-on-one consultation with Dr. Jensen. The doctor will review your medical and dental history and perform a complete examination of your mouth to ensure that you don’t have any other issues he needs to address before placing your crown.

The doctor will polish the damaged tooth and prepare it to receive the crown by removing a minimal amount of enamel; just enough to make room for the thin shell. Once he finishes preparing the tooth, the doctor will make impressions of it and the area surrounding it.

He will forward the impressions, along with any necessary shading information, to an offsite U.S.-based dental lab, where a certified technician will hand craft your crown and shade it to match your natural tooth color.

Dr. Jensen will provide you with a temporary crown to wear while your permanent restoration is created. While wearing the temporary crown, you will need to avoid hard or sticky foods that could dislodge the crown or cause it to break. You will need to do your best to keep chewing to the side of your mouth without the crown. Also, when flossing, instead of lifting the dental floss from between your teeth, try sliding it out. This will decrease the likelihood of accidentally pulling the crown out.

When we receive your permanent crown, usually around two weeks later, you will return to our office to have the crown permanently placed. Dr. Jensen will remove the temporary crown and replace it with your new permanent restoration, checking for a good fit and testing for proper occlusion.

When he feels everything fits correctly, the doctor will use a strong, but safe dental adhesive to permanently bond your new crown to the tooth. With proper care and regular dental visits, your ceramic crown can last up to 15 years before it needs replacing.

Placing A Crown To Restore A Dental Implant

If you have lost one or more teeth due to decay, gum disease, or facial trauma, Dr. Jensen will surgically place tiny posts of titanium called dental implants in your jaw to replace the missing tooth roots. As they heal, the implants will fuse with the bone in your jaw, providing a sturdy anchor for a restoration. The doctor has several restoration options for these implants, including dental crowns.

This procedure typically requires two surgeries. The doctor will place the implants during the first surgery, and will send his design of your crown to a reputable offsite lab, where technicians will fabricate your crown while the implants heal.

Then three to six months later, when the implants have fully healed, you will return to our office to have the implants surgically exposed from underneath the gums. The doctor will attach small connectors, called abutments to the head of each implant.

He will then attach the crown to the abutment, bonding it in place. Implant-supported dental crowns provide a very life-like restoration in both appearance and function.

Call Us Today

Dr. Jensen places dental crowns to restore functionality and beauty to our patients’ smiles. If you would like to learn more about dental crowns and the benefits they can provide you, call our Boise, ID, dental office today at (208) 853-2221 and schedule a consultation with Dr. Jensen.