Giving your damaged, very misshapen teeth a fresh start (and so much more!) with dental crowns

Dental crowns are a staple of modern dentistry. However, your options for crown treatment and the satisfaction you get from the results and process vary considerably from office to office. With Bright Dental – Brianna Rafetto D.M.D., P.A., patients from across the Middletown, Delaware area can be confident that their treated or crowned teeth will be indistinguishable in appearance and strength from natural and healthy teeth and otherwise align with their one-of-a-kind goals, needs, and characteristics.

What is a dental crown?

Think of crowns as a helmet or cap for a damaged or misshapen tooth. Dr. Rafetto uses her advanced and ongoing training and experience from prestigious organizations such as The Pankey Institute to shape your crown. The crown may be made from a variety of different materials. Once shaped, it fits securely on top of the damaged tooth, which has been reshaped and sterilized. In turn, the crown effectively restores the white visible part of your tooth. Think of it as giving your worn, weak, and otherwise vulnerable tooth a second chance!

So, what are all of the reasons a crown may be appropriate?

Crowns are among the most versatile services available at dentists’ offices. They may be fabricated and applied to hold together a broken tooth. They also restore teeth with more extensive decay, such as a big cavity that cannot be adequately strengthened with a simple filling. Crowns are also an essential part of root canal therapy, which preserves infected teeth that would otherwise require extraction. They are even appropriate options for big cosmetic cases, such as to cover up a very irregularly shaped or worn tooth. Last but definitely not least, crowns are used in various forms of tooth replacement – to anchor a dental bridge and to restore a dental implant.

What materials may be best for me?

Dr. Rafetto is happy to discuss your options following an exam and during a consultation at our office. Today, patients can benefit from aesthetically pleasing and strong ceramics, such as porcelain and durable metal alloys. Sometimes, a metal core is used for utmost strength, while a ceramic covering is applied to support the most natural-looking tooth structure. Factors influencing the most suitable material range from the tooth’s location in your smile to its function and how much force is placed on the tooth due to day-to-day “tasks” such as grinding down food.

How do you make dental crowns?

If we determine that crowns are an ideal treatment, we will first collect information about the troublesome tooth and its neighbors. Our lab then uses this diagnostic info to make your dental crown. Generally, we place a temporary crown while the permanent one is being made. Once the crown is ready, we check for bite and that everything looks and feels OK. Only after that is confirmed do we secure the crown to your tooth. 

Call (302) 391-6222 today with more questions and to schedule an appointment at our Middletown, DE, office.