Often, when people don’t clearly know what to expect from a certain treatment, particularly in dentistry, fear and hesitation can develop or even prompt them to postpone necessary procedures. For instance, if you don’t know what it means to “prepare a tooth for a dental crown,” it can sound mysterious or even painful! In this post, you’ll learn what this process entails and why it’s nothing to shy away from.
Diagnosis and Creating a Treatment Plan
As with any dental treatment, before starting, your dentist will need to examine your teeth to identify the issue. Whether you have a broken, decayed, or cracked tooth, your dentist may recommend a crown to reinforce and save your tooth from being extracted. Once you agree with the plan and wish to proceed, the dentist can begin preparing your tooth for restoration.
Preliminary Treatment (If Necessary)
In some cases, such as with a deep cavity or crack, the pulp or nerve center of the tooth becomes exposed and vulnerable to infection. As a result, it must first be removed to prevent future trouble and pain in a procedure called a root canal. Don’t worry! Your dentist will give you an anesthetic, which means you won’t feel any discomfort. When the pulp is gone and the inner chamber is sealed, the tooth can then receive a crown and shouldn’t ever cause pain in your mouth.
Reducing the Tooth
If a root canal isn’t needed in your situation, your dentist will still “prepare” your tooth for a crown. First, a local anesthetic will be delivered to that area of your mouth, creating a numb sensation without pain. For the restoration to fit and appear natural in your mouth, the tooth’s enamel must be slightly taken away on all sides.
Impressions for Your New Crown
Once you have room around your tooth for a custom crown, your dentist or their assistant will capture an impression of your upper and lower teeth. It’s important to collect the entire bite because the crown must not only look realistic in its own row but also meet up properly with the other. An incorrectly fitting crown can lead to bite issues, jaw pain, teeth grinding, and other problems, and impressions allow the lab to be precise as they fabricate your personalized restoration.
Temporary Crown Placement
After impressions are taken, you’ll need to wait for a couple of weeks for the lab to create your crown; however, the tooth must be protected in the meantime. Before you leave your dentist’s office, they’ll put a temporary crown on your prepared tooth to block bacteria until you return for the more permanent one to be bonded into place.
You don’t have to fear this dental step toward a complete smile again. It will help you regain your oral function and confidence, making it well worth the time and effort!
About the Practice
No matter where you are in the Lincoln area, there’s bound to be a Williamsburg Dental location nearby, because we have six offices open to help patients of all ages. Our highly trained and experienced dentists prefer using conservative methods for treatment, meaning we recommend preventing issues and treating them with the least invasive procedure(s) we can. If you have a tooth that may require a crown or other restoration, don’t hesitate to give one of our locations a call for an appointment!