Porcelain Crowns

Restore and Protect Your Damaged Tooth

Porcelain crowns restore and protect damaged teeth while also beautifying them, making this a treatment that fits in both the restorative dentistry and cosmetic dentistry categories. At Smiles by the Sea, we create long-lasting, customized dental crowns designed to protect teeth and help them look natural, so they blend in with the rest of your smile.

Problems Fixed By Porcelain Crowns

Woman smiling A dental crown – sometimes called a cap – is designed to fit over a damaged or unsightly tooth to make it stronger, function properly, and look better. Crowns are usually made of porcelain because the material is so durable and can be designed to look just like the rest of your teeth in color and shape.

There are many oral health circumstances that call for a crown, including:

Tooth decay: If the size of a cavity is so large that a large amount of tooth structure must be drilled away to remove the decay, there will not be enough enamel to support a tooth-colored filling. A crown protects the treated area and the rest of the tooth.
Infected tooth: When a tooth must undergo root canal therapy because of a deep infection, there will be enamel removal and the structure of the tooth will be compromised – unless it is covered by a customized crown. This double solution also protects the tooth from extraction, and it is always your dentist’s goal to preserve natural teeth whenever possible.
Fractured tooth: A cracked or chipped tooth is open to bacteria and food particles, which means infection and decay are likely if treatment is not pursued. Topping this problem tooth with a crown prevents further damage and restores the tooth to full strength and beauty.
Weak tooth: When a tooth is weak because of age or worn enamel, it is susceptible to decay and damage. A crown makes a weak tooth tough and protects it from breaking down, while also safeguarding neighboring teeth.
Misshapen tooth: An unsightly tooth that is misshapen or oddly sized can be built up to the right shape and form by a personalized porcelain crown.
Stained tooth: Sometimes, a discolored tooth cannot be whitened, but you certainly wish it would blend into the rest of your teeth. By covering it with a crown you get a sturdy, natural-looking solution.

The Porcelain Crown Process

Getting a porcelain crown usually takes two visits to your Hampton dentist.

Here is what you can expect:

Preparation: At your first dental visit, the tooth in question will be prepared for a crown. Decay will be removed, if necessary. An impression of your mouth will be taken so the crown can be designed just for you by a dental lab.
Patience: Once the instructions for your crown have been sent to the lab, it usually takes about two weeks for the restoration to be ready. Depending on the condition of the tooth in question, you may receive a temporary crown while you wait for the permanent one so your smile is not marred.
Completion: Once the crown is ready, you will visit your dentist again, have the temporary crown removed, confirm the fit and look of the crown, and have it permanently bonded to your natural tooth and adjusted as needed.

Same Day Crowns

When you have a broken, damaged, or infected tooth that requires a porcelain crown, you want to rely on a dentist’s office that has the technology to create your restoration immediately. At Smiles by the Sea in Hampton, NH, our office is home to the advanced CEREC system, which allows us to craft same-day crowns and restore your smile completely in the same visit.

What Is the CEREC System?

The CEREC system is a computer assisted design (CAD) and computer-assisted milling (CAM) system that produces sophisticated, customized dental restorations while you wait. This on-site technology is an investment that your dental office has made so it’s possible for patients to have whole smiles again quickly.

Benefits of a CEREC Same-Day Crown

The relief of knowing that your Hampton dental office provides same-day crowns is the first benefit of CEREC restorations. Other perks include:

Immediate repair: Off-site dental labs can take days and sometimes weeks to create a restoration. CEREC gives you your smile back in one day.
Perfect fit: When specifications are sent to a dental lab to create a crown, the restorations usually come back accurately. There is no substitute, though, for the kind of accuracy your dentist delivers in both the fit and appearance of on-site customized crowns.
Convenient: When you have a broken tooth or damaged crown, it’s a big deal. You want the problem fixed as soon as possible, especially so the issue doesn’t interfere with your professional or social life. CEREC eliminates the need for multiple dental visits, saving you time and stress.
Natural-looking: You can be guaranteed a dental restoration that looks natural and blends in with the rest of your teeth in size, shape, and color.

Dental Problems a Same-Day Crown Can Fix

CEREC system No one has ever experienced a dental problem at a convenient time, but it’s even worse when the repair you need to fix your tooth will take weeks to complete. CEREC same-day crowns eliminate this problem and can be used to repair multiple issues right away, including:

Broken crown: Even the strongest crowns are at the mercy of age and become loose. They can also suffer damage because of biting down wrong on a food or from teeth grinding.
Fractured tooth: When a tooth is broken, chipped, or damaged in some way, it is at risk of deteriorating quickly. Not tending to the problem creates space for food particles and bacteria to enter the tooth and cause decay or infection.
Decayed tooth: Some tooth decay is so large that a tooth-colored filling will not work and a crown is needed as a more robust solution.
Infected tooth: If you have a deep infection in your tooth, root canal therapy is necessary. Once the canals are meticulously cleaned out and sealed, the whole tooth needs to be covered with a crown for protection.
Weak tooth: A deteriorating tooth or simply a weak tooth that is prone to breaking can be concealed and restored underneath a same-day crown.
Unsightly tooth: If you have finally had it with an unsightly tooth that draws attention to itself because it is stained, oddly shaped, or flawed in some way, a customized crown conceals the problem immediately.

Are You A Good Candidate For Porcelain Crowns?

If you practice good daily oral hygiene by brushing and flossing, visit your dentist twice a year for a cleaning and checkup, and avoid using your teeth as tools to open something, your crown can last for decades. This versatile dental restoration is attractive, strong, and helps you have a more attractive and robust smile.

When you have a dental problem at a bad time, don’t despair. Contact Smiles by the Sea in Hampton, NH, to schedule an appointment or an emergency dental visit and find out if you are a good candidate for a CEREC same-day crown. This state-of-the-art solution has saved many people from upended plans and smile embarrassment.