How Is the Dental Crown Procedure Performed at a Dental Clinic?

Tooth crowns are among the most needed and requested dental solutions. They are versatile and can be used to solve a myriad of dental issues such as cracks, chips, tooth decay, etc. Getting a tooth crown is not complicated, and the procedure is pretty much routine for our dentist in Vancouver, BC.

A typical procedure will require two dental visits. The first one is to get acquainted with our dentist, and our dentist gets to know the scope of work needed. And the second visit is usually for the installation of your new crowns.

But before we delve into the dental crown procedure, you need to note that you may need a root canal treatment before getting the crown. Secondly, you may need temporary crowns between the two visits to protect the teeth.

The Typical Dental Crown Procedure

Getting dental crowns near you is easy and is usually done in two appointments, not unless you are going for CEREC same-day crowns. Plus, the procedure is painless; thanks to local anesthesia, you will not feel a thing.

So, let’s get to it.

The First Visit

The first visit will entail the following:

• The Consultation

The procedure will commence with a chat. Our dentist will chat with you concerning your preferences, needs, goals, habits, medical history, and any other dental issues. Collecting this information is vital since it helps our dentist get a bearing on how to conduct the procedure safely and effectively to meet your needs.

Therefore, you can take this chance to reveal anything useful, such as diseases, allergies, and even drugs you take (prescription and non-prescription).

This is also when to discuss what type of crown you wish to have that will work for you. You can go for tooth-colored options such as porcelain or metallic options such as gold tooth caps.

• The Assessment

Our dentist near you will check your gums, teeth, and overall oral health at this stage. Our dentist will ascertain whether there’s a need to perform extra procedures or if there is extensive tooth decay to warrant a different solution. If everything checks out okay, our dentist can proceed to prep the tooth or teeth.

• The Reshaping

Our dentist will numb the area by injecting local anesthesia. The anesthesia will take a few moments to take effect. Once it kicks in, our dentist can begin filing the tooth to reshape it. Reshaping will remove parts of the tooth, which means that the tooth will become smaller to make space for the tooth crown.

The filing of the tooth means that most of the enamel has been removed, which renders the procedure irreversible since the enamel cannot grow back.

• Molding

Our dentist uses an impression tray to make a mold of the tooth that needs a crown and the adjacent teeth. The mold is used to create customized crowns that will be perfect for your mouth and teeth.

The impression tray will be sent to the lab to aid in the fabrication of the crown. You will also take part in the process by picking the color of your dental crown since it needs to be the exact shade of your surrounding teeth. Our dentist will use a shade guide to aid in the color selection.

If there is a mismatch, the tooth crown will look unnatural.

• The Temporary Crown

Our dentist will then fit you with a temporary crown and send you home to wait for your permanent crown. The temporary crown will protect your reshaped tooth and cover the space created when part of the tooth was filed down.

Our dentist will let you know how you can handle the temporary crown since there will be some discomfort after the procedure.

The Second Visit

When your dental crowns are ready, our dentist in Vancouver, BC, will inform you that you may come in for the second visit. Here’s what happens:

• Inspection

Our dentist will inspect the crowns to ascertain whether they fit perfectly, shape-wise and color-wise. If they aren’t perfect, our dentist will send them back. If they are okay, our dentist will remove the temporary crown.

• Disinfection

Our dentist will disinfect the area to remove bacteria that might be stuck on the tooth while wearing the temporary crown. This is an essential step since it curbs the chance of developing cavities.

• Installation

Dental cement is used as a bonding agent between the crown and natural teeth. Then, the teeth will be exposed to ultraviolet light to cure the cement. Our dentist will ascertain that the crown is secured, just like you have a brand new crown.

Have you seen how straightforward the process is? Therefore, if you have cracks, fractures, or any other issue that requires a tooth crown, contact us at Enhance Dental Centre to schedule an appointment.