Dental crowns are one of the workhorses of dental restorations: Not only are they versatile, but they’re extremely durable, typically lasting a decade or more before they need to be replaced.
Many people think of crowns as a cosmetic restoration used to hide a misshapen tooth or a tooth that’s deeply stained and discolored. But crowns have many other applications, including helping to preserve teeth that are badly damaged by decay.
At Park Place Smiles, Minal Patel, DDS, uses dental crowns for an array of oral health issues, including conditions that cause acute and chronic tooth pain. If you have a persistent toothache, here’s how a crown can help.
Many people think of their teeth as being solid and made of one material. But your teeth are actually made up of layers: a very tough enamel layer on top of a layer of material called dentin, all of which surrounds the softer pulp part of your tooth.
Extending from the center of your tooth down to the very tip of the tooth root, the inner pulp portion contains the nerves and blood vessels that support tooth health and sensation. When cavities or other damage reaches this part of your tooth, the tooth nerves are exposed, causing irritation and pain.
Cavities and traumatic damage are two common causes of tooth pain. Tooth decay happens when acids begin to erode the tooth enamel and dentin, and bacteria invade the inner part of the tooth. Traumatic tooth damage includes tooth fractures and cracks.
Crowns don’t treat pain directly. Instead, they play an important role in treating tooth pain associated with more substantial tooth damage, and they can also help prevent pain in the future.
For relatively small to medium-sized cavities, a filling may be all you need to restore the tooth’s structure and function. But more severe tooth damage — like deep decay, pulp infections, or fractures — typically requires extra care, like very large fillings or root canal therapy.
Both large fillings and root canals remove a lot of tooth material, potentially weakening the tooth and making it more prone to future damage. Designed to surround the entire tooth down to the gum line, a dental crown provides additional protection and strength, so you can bite and chew without worry.
Made in a dental lab, porcelain dental crowns are tinted and shaped to match your neighboring teeth so they blend in beautifully. With proper care, including brushing, flossing, and routine dental checkups, you can expect your crown to last for a long time.
Tooth pain can happen for lots of different reasons, and fortunately, we can offer a variety of treatments that can help. To learn more about dental crowns and other restorations, call 626-226-1802 or book an appointment online with Park Place Smiles in Glendora, California, today.
