Dental crowns are an effective restorative treatment for patients who have a compromised or missing tooth. Dr. Eddy Sauer Jr. and Dr. Nathaniel Avirett offer traditional and same-day dental crowns at our Amarillo, TX practice.
If you are undergoing this treatment, we want to educate you about the potential causes of damaged dental crowns. This information can help you better care for your crown so it lasts as long as possible.
Avoiding Damage to Your Crowns
Crowns last 15 years or more when patients maintain their oral hygiene and practice proper aftercare.
The typical causes of damaged crowns include:
- Trauma: Sporting accidents, falls, and blows to the face can damage crowns.
- Bruxism: Teeth grinding can wear down ceramic materials. Consider wearing a mouth guard if you suffer from bruxism.
- Decay: The underlying tooth can be damaged by cavities and decay, compromising the overlying crown.
- Normal wear: The task of cutting and grinding food can wear even the strongest ceramic crowns down over time.
- Misaligned teeth: Overbite, underbite, and other forms of misaligned bite can put disproportional pressure on the crowns.
How to Preserve Your Dental Crowns
The same habits that protect your natural teeth can prevent damage to dental crowns.
- Avoid chewing unforgiving foods like hard candy and ice.
- Do not use your crown or teeth to pry off bottle caps, bite your nails, or engage in other bad dental habits.
- Wearing a mouthguard while playing impact sports is one example of a preventative measure that can prevent damage to your crown and natural teeth.
If your bite feels off, you notice a change in the crown’s texture, or pain in the area, you may have a damaged crown and should seek the advice of your dentist immediately. If your crown is damaged, it may be possible to repair it, depending on how much damage occurred and where.
Dental Crown Basics
The crown of your tooth refers to the visible portion that protrudes above the gum line. Synthetic crowns can be fabricated from ceramic material and custom fitted to cap damaged teeth.
We offer traditional crowns that are made in a lac and same-day crowns, which use advanced CEREC technology to craft and fabricate dental crowns immediately.
Dental crowns can:
- Protect a weakened tooth
- Restore broken or chipped teeth
- Seal a damaged tooth
- Restore a dental implant
- Replace damaged crowns
Once you have been fitted with a ceramic crown, careful steps must be taken to prevent damage to your new prosthetic.
Are Dental Crowns Right for You?
While dental crowns are not meant to last a lifetime, taking preventative steps such as avoiding overly hard foods and addressing bruxism with mouth guards can add years to the life of your crown.
If you believe you have a damaged crown or want to know more about how to care for your crown, contact our office online or call (806) 358-2472. Doctors Sauer and Avirett will be glad to answer your questions.
