Porcelain Crowns in Canmore
Dr. Grant Moldenhauer and Dr. Brian Piercy in Canmore provide porcelain crowns, a covering that encases the entire tooth-surface restoring it to its original shape and size. A crown protects and strengthens tooth structure that cannot be restored with fillings or other types of restorations. Although there are several types of crowns, porcelain (tooth coloured crown) are the most popular, because they resemble your natural teeth. They are highly durable and will last many years, but like most dental restorations, they may eventually need to be replaced. Porcelain crowns are made to match the shape, size, and colour or your teeth giving you a natural, long-lasting beautiful smile. Reasons for choosing crowns include:
-
Broken or fractured teeth
-
Cosmetic enhancement
-
Decayed teeth
-
Fractured fillings
-
Large fillings
-
Tooth has a root canal
Contact Canmore Smiles to learn more.
What Does Getting a Crown Involve?
A crown procedure usually requires two appointments. Your first appointment will include taking several highly accurate molds (or impressions) that will be used to create your custom crown. A mold will also be used to create a temporary crown which will stay on your tooth for approximately two weeks until your new crown is fabricated by a dental laboratory.
While the tooth is numb, the dentist will prepare the tooth by removing any decay and shaping the surface to properly fit the crown. Once these details are accomplished, your temporary crown will be placed with temporary cement and your bite will be checked to ensure you are biting properly.
At your second appointment your temporary crown will be removed, the tooth will be cleaned, and your new crown will be carefully placed to ensure the spacing and bite is accurate.
You will be given care instructions and encouraged to have regular dental visits to check your new crown.
Types of Dental Crowns
When you need to restore the look and function of your damaged tooth, dental crowns are the best possible solution. We have listed the types of crowns we provide to help you make the right choice.
Gold Crowns
Gold crowns are a combination of copper and other metals such as chromium or nickel. The advantage of having gold crowns is their strength and durability, which makes them especially useful for back teeth for patients who have a heavy bite.
Advantages
- Strength and high resistance to corrosion
- The longest-lasting restoration available
- They wear down more like natural teeth, so they are easy to adapt to
- Ideal for back teeth especially second molars
Disadvantages
- Poor aesthetics unless you like the look of gold
- Although very rare, some people may experience an allergic reaction
All Porcelain Crowns
It is entirely made of porcelain material and is the most popular type of crown used these days.
Advantages
- Provides natural look as they match your surrounding teeth in size, shape, and colour
- One of the best options for front teeth restorations
- As no metal is used, they are toxic free
Disadvantages
- Not as strong as metal crowns
- Bruxism patients should opt for gold of PFM
- Costly compared to other types of crowns, such as metal crowns
Porcelain Fused-to-Metal Crowns (PFM)
Porcelain-fused-to-metal (PFM) crowns have been used for many years, and they offer a great combination of strength and esthetics. They have a metal core that gives solidity and porcelain layered on the outside, which provides a natural, realistic look.
Advantages
- Good esthetics
- Longevity – PFM's have been used for over 50 years, and we know they work well
Disadvantages
- On front teeth, we occasionally see a grey line at the gum line due to the metal core shining through. If esthetics is the priority over strength, then an E-Max crown would be preferable.
- This type of crown may wear down more comfortably against the opposing teeth for people who clench their teeth
Zirconia Crowns
Zirconia crowns are a relatively new material that combines the strength of metal with the esthetics of porcelain crowns. They are made from zirconium dioxide, which is classified as a type of porcelain even though it is a type of metal related to titanium. Incredibly durable, it can come as a monolithic block resulting in a robust restoration that will look somewhat opaque. It can also be highly translucent and layered with E-Max porcelain, resulting in a beautiful crown that offers superb toughness. This is a great choice today when both strength and esthetics are desired.
Advantages
- Good aesthetics
- Strong and long-lasting with less possibility of chipping, cracking or breaking especially if monolithic
- Less likely to wear down due to its strength
- Biocompatible: as metal-free crowns, they are not expected to cause allergic reactions
Disadvantages
- Their hardness can make the teeth they bite against wear down easier
- Solid Zirconia can be difficult to adjust
E- Max: Lithium Disilicate Crowns
E-Max is the latest type of crown used in dentistry. This full-ceramic crown made of lithium desilicated has excellent esthetics, transparency, durability, and strength. E-Max crowns make an excellent choice for a very realistic natural tooth replacement.
Advantages
- Excellent aesthetics
- Durable and strong
- The right choice for both front and back teeth
- Biocompatible: as metal-free crowns, they are not likely to cause allergic reactions
Disadvantages
- More expensive than other types of crowns
- Not as strong as Zirconia of PFM crowns
Types of E-max crowns include IPS e.max®, IPS e.max® CAD, IPS e.max® Press. For more information about our services, call us.
FAQ
-
How Can Cosmetic Dentistry Help Improve the Appearance of My Smile?
If you’re feeling somewhat self-conscious about your teeth, or just want to improve your smile, cosmetic dental treatments may be the answer to a more beautiful, confident smile.
Cosmetic dentistry has become very popular in the last several years, not only due to the many advances in cosmetic dental procedures and materials available today, but also because patients are becoming more and more focused on improving their overall health. This includes dental prevention and having a healthier, whiter, more radiant smile.
There are many cosmetic dental procedures available to improve your teeth and enhance your smile. Depending on your particular needs, cosmetic dental treatments can change your smile dramatically, from restoring a single tooth to having a full mouth make-over. Ask your dentist how you can improve the health and beauty of your smile with cosmetic dentistry.
Cosmetic Procedures
- Teeth whitening: Bleaching lightens teeth that have been stained or discoloured by age, food, drink, and smoking. Teeth darkened as a result of injury or taking certain medications can also be bleached, but the effectiveness depends on the degree of staining present.
- Composite (tooth-coloured) fillings: Also known as “bonding”, composite fillings are now widely used instead of amalgam (silver) fillings to repair teeth with cavities, and also to replace old defective fillings. Tooth-coloured fillings are also used to repair chipped, broken, or discoloured teeth. This type of filling is also very useful to fill in gaps and to protect sensitive, exposed root surfaces caused by gum recession.
- Porcelain veneers: Veneers are thin custom-made, tooth-coloured shells that are bonded onto the fronts of teeth to create a beautiful individual smile. They can help restore or camouflage damaged, discoloured, poorly shaped, or misaligned teeth. Unlike crowns, veneers require minimal tooth structure to be removed from the surface of the tooth.
- Porcelain crowns (caps): A crown is a tooth-coloured, custom-made covering that encases the entire tooth surface restoring it to its original shape and size. Crowns protect and strengthen teeth that cannot be restored with fillings or other types of restorations. They are ideal for teeth that have large, fractured, or broken fillings and also for those that are badly decayed.
- Dental implants: Dental implants are artificial roots that are surgically placed into the jaw to replace one or more missing teeth. Porcelain crowns, bridges, and dentures can be made specifically to fit and attach to implants, giving a patient a strong, stable, and durable solution to removable dental appliances.
- Orthodontics: Less visible and more effective brackets and wires are making straightening teeth with orthodontics much more appealing to adult patients. Also, in some cases, teeth may be straightened with custom-made, clear, removable aligners that require no braces.
Thanks to the advances in modern dentistry, cosmetic treatments can make a difference in making your smile shine!
Should You Replace Your Amalgam Fillings?
Metal was once the most commonly used dental material used to fill cavities and repair damage. However, amalgam fillings are less popular than they used to be for a variety of reasons. If you currently have fillings that contain amalgam, you may have been told you should have them removed and replaced with newer composites. The reality is, there are several important factors to consider before deciding which material to use.
How Oral Surgery is Used to Benefit Your Long-Term Oral Health
Ideal oral health involves making sure that teeth are not only healthy but that the surrounding structures in and around the mouth function correctly. Maxillofacial Surgery, more commonly known as oral surgery, focuses on treating many diseases, injuries, and defects in the head, neck, face, jaws, and hard and soft tissues of the mouth. Oral surgery is essential for addressing both the functional and aesthetic aspects of the areas listed above.
Understanding the Causes of Sleep Apnea
For some, snoring is merely an inconvenient late-night distraction. What many don’t realize, however, is that snoring may be an indication of a deeper health issue – sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a common disorder where breathing repeatedly stops and starts while a person sleeps. This condition can often go undiscovered for some time, but specific symptoms can indicate you may need to undergo a sleep study.
