Porcelain Dental Crowns West Orange

Also serving Short Hills & Livingston

Are you embarrassed by your cracked, chipped, decaying or misshaped teeth? If so, you do not have to feel embarrassed about these flaws anymore — the dentists at Northfield Dental Group can help. They offer porcelain dental crowns to correct the shape, size, alignment or overall look of your imperfect teeth. A dental crown can also be placed to strengthen any weak teeth.

What Is a Dental Crown?

Unlike a dental veneer which is applied to the front surface of a tooth, a dental crown caps, or covers, the entire imperfect tooth. Dental crowns restore the look and function of teeth as well as protect teeth that are decaying so they do not suffer further damage.

Crowns are available in different materials, including stainless steel, other metals (e.g., gold) and porcelain. Porcelain crowns offer the aesthetic advantage of looking like natural teeth.

During your consultation, your dentist will evaluate your oral health and listen to you cosmetic concerns before recommending a suitable treatment protocol for you.

What the Crown-Placement Procedure Entails

It usually takes two visits to be fitted for a crown. During the first visit, Dr. Stein, Dr. Widmayer, Dr. Shapiro, Dr. Unger, Dr. Mendina or Dr. Stein conducts a dental exam and may take X-rays to evaluate the roots of the teeth as well as the surrounding bone. If you have extensive tooth decay or other oral health problems, you may be required to undergo another dental procedure prior to receiving your dental crown(s).

During the same visit, your tooth (or teeth) is prepared to receive a crown. You will receive a local anesthetic to numb the treatment area before the dentist prepares your tooth. If you have adequate tooth mass, the cosmetic dentist first shaves down the tooth to accommodate the overlying dental crown. If you do not have sufficient tooth mass, your dentist will first build up your tooth mass, using a special filling material to create enough surface space to support the crown.

Once the tooth has been prepared, your dentist takes an impression of your tooth, which he sends to the dental laboratory so a technician there can make the crown. You will receive a temporary crown to wear, covering the prepared tooth, while you wait for your customized crown to arrive at the Northfield Dental Group office.

Once our office receives your crown, you will come back for your second visit. During this visit, your West Orange cosmetic dentist again administers a local anesthetic prior to removing your temporary crown and placing the permanent crown over the treated tooth (assuming he is satisfied with the color and fit of the permanent crown).

How to Care for Porcelain Crowns at Home

While you have a temporary crown, avoid eating chewy, sticky foods, such as caramel or gum. You should also avoid hard, crunchy foods, such as raw veggies. Eating either of these types of foods can damage the temporary crown. Also, make every effort to abstain from chewing with the side of your mouth where your temporary crown is located.

With proper care (i.e., brushing twice a day, flossing once a day, using antiseptic mouthwash and seeing your dentist regularly), your crown should last between five and 15 years, depending on your distinct oral anatomy and your dental habits (e.g., if you grind your teeth).

Dental Crowns FAQs

What are the benefits of a dental crown?

Dental crowns are a popular solution for teeth that are cracked, chipped, decayed, misaligned or simply unattractive. All flaws disappear under the crown, a strong protective cover which is bonded to the existing tooth to improve appearance and preserve function.

The crown can stabilize a weak tooth, cloak discoloration and flaws, and even be used to anchor a dental bridge. During its expected lifespan of five to 15 years, the crown protects the health and integrity of the tooth within, while adding beauty to your smile.

What are my choices?

Depending on the condition of the tooth, the experienced cosmetic dentistry specialists of Northfield Dental Group in West Orange may recommend a porcelain crown as the option that provides the most natural-looking new surface. The porcelain-fused-to-metal variety provides additional strength, but may create a dark line at the gum line.

Ceramic crowns are a common choice for front teeth, while resin crowns tend to be less expensive but also wear down more quickly. Metal crowns have the advantage of putting less stress on opposing teeth and are unlikely to crack. Some patients choose this type of crown for molars.

What is the procedure like?

To royally crown your tooth with a finely proportioned new surface requires two visits. The first appointment is devoted to an exam, X-rays and preparing the tooth to accommodate the permanent crown, which will be custom made at a dental lab using impressions of the target tooth, as well as surrounding teeth (to ensure the crown does not alter your bite). You will be given local anesthetic as your dentist reshapes the existing tooth to allow for a secure fit when the permanent crown is bonded to it.

You will be sent home with an acrylic temporary crown as you wait for the permanent one to be sculpted at the lab. In two to three weeks you’ll return to Northfield Dental Group in West Orange for the crowning ceremony — under local anesthetic, the temporary crown will be removed and the new one cemented into place.

Stop Feeling Embarrassed

Your smile should make you feel happy, not embarrassed. If you are ready to stop feeling embarrassed and start on your way to attaining your ideal smile, call us today and make an appointment to find out if porcelain dental crowns are right for you.

To make an appointment with one of our expert cosmetic dentists, please contact Northfield Dental Group by calling today.