When you have an injured or decayed tooth, a dental crown can be used to strengthen and protect it. But before you can receive the final restoration, your dentist will need to make sure that the tooth in question has been properly prepared. Here’s a quick overview of what you can generally expect when getting ready to receive a new dental crown.
What Do the Preparations Before Receiving a Dental Crown Look Like?
Step one is for your dentist to take X-rays of your mouth in order to ensure that they have as much information as possible about the tooth being restored as well as the area around it. This will allow them to confirm that getting a dental crown is truly the right decision for you.
Before your dentist moves on to the step of actually preparing the tooth, they will numb your mouth with a local anesthetic. This is to prevent you from experiencing discomfort while your tooth is being worked on.
When it comes to the actual preparation, a certain amount of enamel will typically be filed away or otherwise removed from the tooth in question. The idea is to create enough space for the crown so that it can fit on your tooth without having any ill effects on the alignment of your bite. The amount of enamel that needs to be removed isn’t set in stone; it depends on the patient.
What Happens After the Tooth Has Been Prepared?
Some crowns require multiple appointments while others can be placed in a single day. Once your tooth has been prepared, the next steps depend on the kind of crown you’re getting:
- For a crown that will be placed at a future visit, impressions of the tooth will be taken. Said impressions will be sent to a dental lab so that they can create a crown that’s the proper size, shape, and color. While you’re waiting for your next appointment, you will wear a temporary crown to keep your prepared tooth safe.
- For a same-day crown, a digital impression of your tooth will be captured. Once the crown has been designed, a special machine can mill it out of a block of ceramic material. The completed restoration can then be placed on your tooth.
With any kind of dental procedure, you need to make sure that you understand exactly what you can expect to happen during the process. Be sure to let your dentist know if you have any questions about the preparations needed for dental crown placement.
About the Author
Dr. Venn Peterson is a current member of the Thurston/Mason County Dental Society, the Washington State Dental Association, and the American Dental Association. He always takes the time to personalize the treatments he performs according to the needs of his patients. Thanks to the CEREC system, he is able to provide same-day dental crowns. To schedule a consultation with Dr. Peterson at Peterson & Cammack Family & Cosmetic Dentistry in Lacey, visit his website or call (360) 459-4420.