Dental Crowns and Bridges
Do you have severe tooth pain caused by decayed, chipped, or broken teeth? The irritation or infection on the tooth pulp and nerves causes excruciating pain when you bite. The longer you wait to get treated, the worse it could get and the direr the consequences. So please don't ignore your tooth sensitivity issues. Ask how Dr. Apurva Arjarapu can help restore your tooth's strength and protect your teeth using Dental Crowns and Dental Bridges.
Protecting your tooth with dental crowns and bridges is one of the safest and long-lasting ways to strengthen your tooth. Put an end to your toothache and suffering by getting a Dental Crown at Aviva Dental Care of Cedar Park, Texas. Dr. Arjarapu has helped many patients of Cedar Park, Leander, Round Rock, and Austin vicinities using dental crowns and dental bridge treatments. Let us help you alleviate your pain and treat your tooth sensitivity concerns immediately!
Look no further than the Aviva Dental Care of Cedar Park for exceptional dental care at affordable prices for your dental crown or bridge. Call us today to schedule an appointment.
What is Tooth Sensitivity?
According to the article "Sensitive teeth - Cause and the treatment" published in the American Dental Association - a cracked tooth, worn tooth enamel, tooth decay, worn tooth roots are the common cause of sensitive teeth. A layer of tooth enamel, the hardest substance in the body, protects the crowns of healthy teeth. If the enamel is worn down, or the gum line retreats then the Dentin layer underneath enable is exposed. When you chew or drink cold or hot liquids, these dentinal tubules allow the hot and cold or sticky substances to stimulate the nerves inside the tooth, causing unbearable pain.
Does this mean that there is no escape from tooth pain and suffering from tooth sensitivity issues? Cedar Park dentist Dr. Arjarapu helped alleviate the suffering from intolerable tooth pain of many patients of Cedar Park, Leander, Round Rock, and Austin cities. One of the safest and long-lasting ways to strengthen your tooth is by placing a dental crown.
What is a dental crown?
When a tooth is significantly decayed, chipped, or broken, a dental filling or other types of restorations might not restore your tooth structure and strength. In such scenarios, a dental crown or a dental bridge can help restore the tooth's strength and offer protection from tooth sensitivity to hot or cold food.
A dental crown (or a dental cap) is a tooth-shaped covering placed over a severely decayed or damaged tooth to correct the issues with it. The crown encases the entire tooth surface, restoring the tooth to its original shape, size, and strength. The dental crown protects the compromised teeth from additional damage and strengthens the tooth structure.
What is a dental bridge?
Typically a dental crown is mounted over a dental implant to replace a missing tooth. However, if you are missing several teeth next to each other, then filling every space with a dental implant may not be a recommended or an economical option. A dental bridge is used to bridge the gap between the teeth by connecting the teeth adjacent to the gap or a dental implant. The teeth securing the dental bridge will undergo a lot of strain. Covering the neighboring teeth with dental crowns not only strengthens them but also gives Dr. Arjarapu a better anchoring surface for the bridge. The dental bridges offer a firm chewing surface to bite, enhance your appearance with natural-looking teeth, and help you feel more confident in social and professional situations.
Why do you need a dental crown?
Dr. Arjarapu of Aviva Dental Care - Cedar Park office has placed the dental crowns or bridges for the patients of Cedar Park and Leander patients for several reasons. Depending on the patient's tooth condition and need, Dr. Arjarapu prescribes the crowns for both cosmetic and restorative purposes. The common reasons for prescribing a crown are
To secure dental bridges in place and to replace missing teeth with both dental bridges and dental implants.
To protect and restore a tooth after large filling, dental implant, or root canal treatments.
To reinforce damaged tooth structure and to restore the strength of a severely decayed tooth.
To hold together parts of a severely cracked or fractured tooth.
To improve your smile by covering deformed or severely stained or discolored teeth for cosmetic purposes.
To replace your missing teeth with a new, natural-looking replacement.
To restore a tooth that has suffered severe trauma.
What are the benefits of a dental crown or bridge?
There are several benefits to having a dental crown or bridge procedure performed.
Crowns give protection to teeth from further decay, infection, and cracking.
The long-lasting and durable crowns can look just like your natural teeth.
The dental bridges help prevent the other teeth from shifting and maintaining the facial / jaw shape
The dental bridges help fill the gap between the missing teeth and help improve your chewing and talking
Both crowns and bridges improve the appearance of your smile
Types of dental crowns
If you need a dental crown, then Dr. Arjarapu from our Cedar Park office works with you to decide which type of dental crown is best suited for your needs. The dental crowns are classified based on the type of material used to create them. Each material type has its unique characteristics and qualities.
Metal Crowns
The metal crowns are highly durable and are easy to maintain. A metal crown rarely chips or breaks. Cedar Park and Leander patients aren't preferring metal crowns lately as they do not like the look of metal in their mouths. However, if you require a dental crown on a molar in the back of the mouth, a metal crown could be an option for you.
Porcelain fused to Metal Crowns
If you need a natural tooth-colored crown but want an affordable option, a Porcelain fused on metal crown may be an option for you. Porcelain fused to the metal crown is a metal crown covered in a thin layer of porcelain. Porcelain fused on metal crowns offers the benefits of a natural surface color that resembles the rest of your teeth and the strength of a metal crown.
Porcelain Crowns
Although there are several types of dental crowns, porcelain crowns are the most popular type of dental crowns among the patients of Cedar Park, Leander, Round Rock, and Austin regions. The porcelain crowns provide a more natural-looking color match than any other crown type making them an excellent choice, especially for your front teeth. These dental crowns also offer a high level of biocompatibility because it does not contain metal.
Dr. Arjarapu carefully matches the color of the porcelain crowns to the natural color of your teeth. She makes them match the shape, size of your tooth for a long-lasting, beautiful smile. The porcelain crowns are easy to maintain, highly durable, and will last many years than the metal crowns, and the porcelain fused on metal crown types.
Overview of the dental crown procedure
At Aviva Dental Care of Cedar Park office, the process of having a dental crown placed is simple, painless, and usually takes place across two appointments. After thoroughly examing and analyzing your teeth, gums, and bone structure, Dr. Arjarapu will present the treatment options with you and answer any questions or concerns you may have. If the agreed upon-treatment is a dental crown, she will brief you on the various dental crown options available, and helps you can choose the one that fits you best as per your lifestyle and affordability.
During the first visit, to prepare your tooth for a dental crown, Dr. Arjarapu will numb the tooth and surrounding tissues by applying a local anesthetic to the problem tooth area. While the tooth is still numb, she will prepare the tooth by removing any decay and shapes the tooth so that the crown fits perfectly. She then takes a digital scan of the mouth using an intraoral camera, an oversized pen with a video camera on it. Using the 3D digital image of your teeth and gums, we will create a highly accurate 3-Dimensional model of the crown based on the position, size, and shape of the damaged tooth. Dr. Arjarapu fine-tunes the virtual restoration and sends the digital information to one of our dental lab partners to make your custom crown to perfection.
Meanwhile, a temporary crown is mounted to protect your tooth structure. You'll need to take the following precautions when wearing a temporary crown:
Chew on the opposite side of the mouth or temporary crown.
Avoid having extremely hot, cold, or sticky foods like caramel and taffy.
Floss around the temporary crown tooth rather than lifting it.
Usually, within two weeks, you will visit the Aviva Dental Care of Cedar Park to have your newly fabricated crown placed. During the second visit, Dr. Arjarapu will numb your tooth once again, remove the temporary crown, carefully attaches the permanent crown, and ensures the spacing and bite are accurate. The friendly staff at our Cedar Park office will give tips and instructions on how to take proper care of your new dental crown. If you take great care of the dental crown, it can last 5 to 15 years.
How to care for your new dental crown?
While the dental crowns and bridges can last for a long time, without proper care, they do sometimes come loose or fall out. The permanent crown is cemented in place to give a strong foundation at the root. So allow 24 hours for the cement to set. The care you provide during this period is highly crucial for the longevity of your permanent crown.
During this phase, treat your new crown with the same care and following precautions and recommendations we provided while you were using a temporary crown. It's normal for the crowned tooth to feel a bit sensitive to heat and cold after the treatment. Contact our Cedar Park Office if this sensitivity does not subside within a week or two.
After the first two weeks, you can care for it just as you would for a natural tooth. Practicing good oral hygiene is the most important step you can take to ensure the longevity of your new dental crown. Keep your gums and teeth healthy by brushing them at least twice a day and flossing daily. Schedule your regular checkups so that Dr. Arjarapu can keep an eye on the crown and detect any problems early on.