Dental crowns have been around a long time, but they continue to play an important role in San Diego cosmetic dentistry. A dental crown, often called a cap, covers the visible part of the tooth.
Dental crowns are used for several problems common among San Diego cosmetic dentistry patients:
An old crown that is damaged or ill-fitting
A broken tooth
A tooth with extreme decay
A tooth that has had a root canal
A tooth that is too small or misshapen
A tooth that prevents a proper bite
A dental crown serves both structural and aesthetic purposes. It protects a natural tooth from additional decay and damage while permitting normal function. In addition, a dental crown often prevents the need for an extraction and the bone loss that can occur with a missing tooth.
San Diego cosmetic dentistry patients who get a dental crown should not assume that the tooth is now invincible. Crowns need daily cleaning and flossing just like natural teeth. The remaining tooth structure just around the gumline could still become decayed and the soft tissue around the crown is susceptible to gum disease. Chewing hard foods or using your teeth as a tool can cause a crown to crack or break. (Use scissors to open a stubborn plastic package – don’t bite and pull!) Your San Diego cosmetic dentist can advise you on caring for your new crown so that it will last as long as possible. Some of our Mission Hills patients have crowns that are still looking beautiful after ten years.
For information on San Diego dental crown prices, invisible braces, conscious sedation, or teeth whitening, call Marcos Ortega DDS today at 619-295-4545 or visit https://www.mysandiegosmiles.com/about/meet-dr-ortega/.