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.