A dental crown is one way your dentist in Geneseo can better your smile with high-quality cosmetic dentistry services. At Wachtel Dentistry, we are all about not only creating a beautiful, confident smile. We also understand the health hazards of damaged or missing teeth and want to alleviate those challenges from the lives of our Geneseo area patients. Dr. Wachtel provides comprehensive dental care for the whole family, including early dental care for children and dental crowns for patients who have teeth that need to be covered or capped. Crowns can improve both the function and appearance of damaged teeth.
What is a Dental Crown?
A crown is a custom-made cover or cap that fits over an original tooth that is either decayed, damaged or cracked. Crowns are made of a variety of different materials such as porcelain, gold, acrylic resin or a mix of these materials and are cemented onto the damaged tooth to provide strength and an improved appearance, allowing the tooth to function normally again. Ceramic crowns can be matched to the color of the natural teeth for a very natural-looking appearance.
When Our Geneseo Dentist Uses Dental Crowns
Dr. Wachtel may recommend a crown to:
- Replace a large filling if there is not much tooth structure remaining
- Protect a weakened tooth so it doesn’t fracture
- Restore a cracked tooth
- Cap a dental implant
- Cover a poorly shaped or discolored tooth
- Cover a tooth that has undergone a root canal treatment
The Dental Crown Procedure
New technologies have greatly reduced the time needed to make strong, natural-looking crowns. Once the procedure is completed, proper care should be taken to ensure the crown remains in good condition and the teeth and gums are healthy. Given proper care, your crowns can last a lifetime! It normally takes two appointments to complete the dental crown procedure. When you visit our dentist in Geneseo to receive a dental crown, you can expect the following steps:
- Dr. Wachtel will numb your tooth and remove the decay in or around it.
- He will then re-sculpt the tooth to provide an ideal fit for the crown. If the tooth is severely damaged, he may need to fill it so it is large enough to receive the crown
- An impression of the tooth is taken and sent off to a lab so the custom crown can be fabricated
- A temporary crown is made out of acrylic resin and fit onto the tooth while the custom crown is being made
- Once the crown is complete, you will revisit your Geneseo dentist and Dr. Wachtel will remove the temporary crown and fit the custom-made one onto the tooth.
- Dr. Wachtel will make sure the crown has the proper look and fit, then affix it into place using a special dental adhesive.
Dental Crown Benefits
Dental crowns offer many benefits including:
- Improved tooth appearance and function
- Help protect against further damage
- A minimally-invasive treatment that involves little to no discomfort
- Can boost your self-esteem and confidence knowing your teeth look great
- A long-lasting solution for improving the aesthetics and function of damaged teeth
Dental Crown Maintenance
If cared for properly, your new dental crown can last for decades. It’s important to visit our Geneseo dentist’s office twice a year for checkups and cleanings and to do a great job with your oral hygiene routine. To ensure you don’t damage your crown, never use your teeth to open bottles or plastic packaging and refrain from biting your fingernails or chewing on pencils.
For Quality Dental Crowns in Geneseo, IL, Visit Wachtel Dentistry
Dr. Wachtel is a well-respected family dentist in Geneseo that offers a wide range of high-quality dental services to patients of all ages! To set up a time with Dr. Wacchtel to find out if you make a good candidate for a dental crown, please request an appointment today. We believe everyone deserves a beautiful, healthy smile and now is the time to act! We look forward to seeing you in our office soon and helping you restore your smile for better confidence in all you do!