These Aren’t Your Mother’s Dental Crowns

Created on October 15, 2017

Dental crowns are some of the most longstanding dental restorations we know in modern dentistry. Initially, like dental fillings, these fixtures were made from high-quality metal. Gold crowns, when they were the norm, were the gold-standard. Even today, gold crowns are recommended because they tend to outlast any other type of crown, and that is a significant advantage. But gold? Most patients don’t want the look of metal in their mouth at all. Fortunately, dentistry has caught up to this trend.

Dental Crowns Pull Double-Duty

It isn’t enough for a dental crown to cover a tooth, to protect it from future damage. If the only choice were a metal crown, it would be “good enough,” but good enough isn’t good enough for most people we meet. What is wanted is a restoration that doesn’t stand out in the smile. How do we accomplish this? With porcelain!

Porcelain dental crowns offer some advantages. These include:

• Preservation of natural appearance. Porcelain is one of the best materials for cosmetic enhancement in the smile. This is why most dentists recommend porcelain for veneers. Crowns, as well, look most natural when porcelain is the sole material in the restoration. This is because porcelain is more reflective than other dental materials, such as composite resin. The way that light is reflected off natural teeth should be mimicked in a restoration, and porcelain facilitates this.
• Natural feeling. We don’t often think about how our teeth feel. When a crown is placed, though, sensation may change in a few ways. The fit of a crown is important, so the feel of biting and chewing remains the same. Also, the tongue is a sensory part of the body that knows the way the mouth feels. Adding a rough-textured crown into the environment may create an unpleasant feeling, at least until the tongue acclimates.
• Like the crowns our ancestors wore, the crowns that are made today must hold their structure if they are to hold their value. Without longevity, there is no real benefit to a restoration. Porcelain is a durable dental material that rivals metal crowns, and may even surpass it with good care.

The team at Taylor Street Dental is here to assist you with your dental needs. Call our Springfield office at (413) 781-7645.

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