Dental Crowns

• what to do prior to treatment: Before every restoration there is a dental examination and preparation of a detailed treatment plan. An x-ray is taken of every neighbouring tooth. Some premedication treatment might be needed before polishing. This can be root canal, dowel abutment, construction of tooth under the crown stump. The prepared tooth will be polished. The intervention will be done in local anaesthesia, so it is recommended to eat before the treatment as it’s not advised till the numbness lasts.
• the process of constructing a crown: First a study-cast is created. This way we have a starting point which helps the lab technician to create the restoration. We polish the tooth in local anaesthesia, then we put a thin thread between the tooth and the gum to make it visible for the lab technician where the tooth is polished. After this the upper and lower impressing comes. If necessary, we put a temporary crown on the polished tooth to protect it, and to prevent it from moving around. The temporary crown can be made at the clinic or at the dental lab (it lasts longer but it is more aesthetic).
• Solo crown: It’s a construction that covers a tooth, primarily in order to protect it.
  • aim: To increase the aesthetics of a damaged tooth, to restore the chewing ability to the max, to prevent speech disorder.
  • advantage: Aesthetic, its colour and shape is in complete harmony with the other teeth.
• Crown types by material:
  • aim: To increase the aesthetics of a damaged tooth, to restore the chewing ability to the max, to prevent speech disorder.
  • metal crown: We don’t use them because they look artificial. They have many positive attributes despite their aesthetic disadvantage, for example durability, little tooth loss and good price.
  • ceramic fused to metal crown: This is the most commonly used method of tooth replacement because of the favourable price / performance ratio and its longevity. This type of restoration comprises two parts: a metallic frame and a ceramic cover in a colour that is identical to the shade of the neighbouring teeth. The ceramic cover is burnt onto the metal frame on a very high temperature. It has many advantages: the metal frame makes it almost unbreakable, it has good closure, it is precise and durable and due to the ceramic cover its colour can be matched to the colour shade of other teeth. Its disadvantage is that if with time the gum recedes, the edge of the metal frame will be visible.
  • ceramic crown fused to gold: It is a solid, resistant crown with a long lifespan and a golden frame.
    • advantages: It minimalizes the danger of forming a tooth decay, as the fitting is perfect thanks to the nature of gold. It is biocompatible, meaning that even those patients can use it who suffer from metal-allergy or sensitivity. As the colour of gold and the dentin under the enamel are identical, the lab technician builds up the ceramic cover just like the enamel covers the dentin so the crown gets a natural look. As the golden frame is thin, the dentist can polish a thinner layer from the original tooth than in case of other crown types.
  • composite crown: It’s made of a mixture of ceramics and resin. Its advantage is that the dentist needs to polish off less from the original tooth then in case of other ceramic fused to metal type crowns although their lifespan is shorter. In case of front teeth mostly composite crowns are used especially if the patient wishes to have a better solution than porcelain veneers or crowns.
  • ceramic (metal-free) crowns: These type of crowns are made of 100% ceramics; their transmittance is very similar to the natural tooth’s so an absolutely beautiful denture can be made out of them. It is suitable for the restoration of the incisor and canine. Its advantage is the colour, it is allergy-free and wear proof. Its disadvantage is that it does not reach the solidity and flexibility of the metal framed crowns so its use is not advised for the restoration of molars.
  • zircon crowns: It is recommended for patients, to whom aesthetics. is the most important. Zircon crowns are even stronger than ceramics fused to metal crowns and their appearance is more similar to the natural teeth’s. They are ideal for restoring incisors.
  • During the creation of zircon crowns that fit the gum perfectly, a new technology is used called CAD/CAM (computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing) which increases the speed and precision of design and creation as well as the convenience or simplicity of the design, creation and insertion processes.
  • First an impression is taken of the prepared teeth and this digitised sample will appear in a graphical form on the computer. The frame, size and shape of the crown can be designed on the basis of this model.
  • Next step is to transfer the digital image to another computer which is connected to the special milling machine where the restoration is carved out of a solid block of ceramic or composite resin.
  • Finally the ceramic cover is burned on the frame in a colour that was chosen by the patient with the help of the dentist.
  • Their only disadvantage is that due to the higher quality the price is higher.
  • what to do after treatment: Proper dental hygiene and flossing between the crowns. Regular dental check-up.