The people of Los Angeles need a good dentist, someone you can trust, and crowns are especially in high demand. Only certain dentists can do dental crowns properly. Dr Leith Shawaf serves everyone in Los Angeles and surrounding areas. As a graduate of North Western Dental School, Dr Shawaf has over 25 years of experience in dentistry and can help you with any of your needs. He does crowns, bridges, dentures, veneers and other Dental services. Here is a little background information on dental crowns.

A dental crown is an artificial covering that covers a tooth

Crowns are put into place by a dentist, and firmly cemented in to prevent loosening and discomfort. Crowns come in various materials, but the type of material has little to do with the proper hygiene needed to preserve the crown’s appearance.

Avoid chewy or sticky foods, because they can dislodge the crown

If you do eat these foods, brush your teeth immediately afterward without brushing too hard, because that could unlodge the crown.

There are some practical benefits to getting gold crowns. They fit better than any other type of crown, because gold is highly malleable. They are also impossible to chip, which makes them the most durable type of crown.  As a result, the overall cost of a gold crown may be less than that of other varieties, simply because they require so little maintenance.

There are multiple different types of crowns, ranging from all-resin, all-porcelain, all-metal and porcelain fused with metal crowns. Each has their own drawbacks. For instance, all-metal crowns, made from gold alloy, among other metals, do not wear much on the adjacent teeth and can withstand biting and chewing. Due to its metallic appearance, however, it does not look natural and may be best for molars in the back of the mouth.   All-resin crowns, although relatively inexpensive, easily break or wear down.  All-porcelain, or all-ceramic crowns, are natural in appearance, but they also wear down easily.

Gold Crown ready to be prepped

The usual procedure involves using a dental impression of your prepared tooth by a dentist who will then customize the crown or cap outside of your mouth. The capping material is inserted generally during your following visit to the clinic. This indirect restoration procedure enables the dentist to use strong restorative materials and time-consuming fabrication methods requiring intense heat like casting metal or firing porcelain. This definitely would be impossible to do inside the mouth.
Materials used for this cap vary and some new types are introduced year after year. Among the top choices these days are porcelain and all-ceramic.

Porcelain types have two versions – all-porcelain or porcelain bonded to precious metal. A tooth crown made entirely out of porcelain are not as strong as those bonded to precious metal, but look natural that they are ideal for use on your front teeth. Most people still prefer porcelain ones that are bonded to precious metal. A base made of precious metal is done and then layers of porcelain are applied on it.

But growing in popularity is the all-ceramic type. This technique that was recently introduced combines the qualities of the bonded porcelain and the all-porcelain types. It gives patients a metal-free alternative solution with the same strength as metal-bonded porcelain and the natural appearance of an all-porcelain.

There are also variations of this treatment that are called onlays and ¾ crowns. If the usual treatment covers your whole tooth, these variations involve capping only a portion of the tooth that is necessary to cover.

This treatment is reserved for more serious dental problems, because a dentist must grind a good portion of a tooth away before the capping procedure can be done. If your concern is mainly superficial, other cosmetic methods like veneers, composite bonding or teeth whitening will be considered.

Dental crowns can last even for more than a decade. But just like your natural teeth, their life span will depend on your chewing habits and oral health maintenance.

Learn how to care for dental crowns to reduce crown discoloration.
Floss the crown at its base by placing the dental floss on one side of the crown and gently pulling the floss to the other side of the crown. Don’t use a sawing motion, run the floss through the teeth with a side-to-side motion. A dental crown can be dislocated by putting excess pressure on the crown or around its surrounding gum. Floss the teeth twice daily, morning and night.
Brush the dental crown using a soft-bristle toothbrush, to reduce irritation to the gum line. Brush gently around the dental crown; don’t press the bristles of the toothbrush hard against the gum surrounding the crown. Brush your teeth after every meal to avoid buildup of food particles that can seep inside the crown and create a bacterial infection.

If you would like to inquire about dental crowns, or have any questions concerning them, you may Contact us.

Kind regards,

Dr Leith Shawaf DDS serving everyone in Beverly Hills, California!
Dr Shawaf Dental Crowns