by Dr. Rajesh Nawal

The fast-paced life people live today does not leave any place for the proper maintenance of your physique. One of the most important parts which are also ignored in this case is the teeth. The staple diet of today’s generation is full of sugar and acidic foods. Quite naturally, their tooth suffers from problems at a very early age and often needs to be extracted or replaced with a prosthesis to maintain its natural structure and function. 

Often, the teeth are required to get a fitting by a crown. Although it is often the last step of the dental treatment, it is better to select the most proficient clinic for putting up metal and ceramic crown in Jaipur. 

Dental crown: what is it?

A dental crown is essentially a cap or a top covering customized to fit into a patient’s tooth. Usually, it is applied to restore the broken tooth’s shape and size, intensify its strength, and enhance performance. Often the crown is temporarily attached to the teeth at first; after a successful operation, a permanent one is cemented into place which protects the tooth for a lifetime. The choice of the dental crown, especially its material, is best decided after a consultation with the most experienced dentist in your locality.

The different utilities of dental crown

Dental crowns are essentially coverings used to shield and protect the damaged tooth from further problems. It is applied usually at the end of every procedure. However, it has many other uses, some of which are listed below:

• It is used to cap large cavities which cannot be remedied by filling only.
• When missing teeth requires a dental bridge. 
• Dental implants are covered by dental crowns
• To protect broken, weakened, or feeble teeth.
• Rebuilding of the tooth after a root canal.
• To assist in cosmetic procedures like changing discolored or misshapen teeth.
• Crowns are also used in pediatric dentistry like the case where baby teeth are damaged by decay 
• A crown may be appropriate for extreme cases where a dental surgery becomes necessary due to poor oral hygiene or aversion to general anesthesia is detected. 

Different types of crowns

Depending on their uses, the dental crowns are divided into the following categories, as follows;

Temporary crowns

These crowns are installed after the dentists have prepared the teeth for them. The teeth are shaven to provide a proper base for the crown, and the temporary crowns are then installed. Their function is to protect the shaved teeth from damage and ensuring the maintenance of the function until the installation of the permanent crowns. Because of their short period of usage, the crowns are made from less costly materials like acrylic and other metals.

Permanent crowns

These crowns are made from materials designed to last longer than the temporary crowns like ceramic, resin, porcelain, and other metal-infused structure. The dentist will have to install the crown after it has been prepared.  Usually, the patient visits the dentist’s office where the temporary crowns are removed and the gums and teeth are cleaned thoroughly.  Thereafter, the dental crowns are attached with strong-acting dental adhesive. After the installation of the crowns, patients are released with aftercare instructions.

Different dental crown materials and their properties

The materials of dental crowns are different and their cost differs accordingly. The crowns are also needed to be chosen according to the patient’s needs, the procedure applied, and the affordability of the patient. 

So, let us know about the properties of the different crown materials, as given below;

• Gold crowns

You will find a blend of metals such as copper, nickel, and chromium in gold crowns. They are preferred for the following characteristics:

1. Strength and resistance.
2. Long-lasting with proper care
3. Less amount of natural teeth needs to be removed
4. Like natural enamel, they wear down quite naturally. 
5. They are perfect for back teeth restoration. However, because of low aesthetic value, they aren’t much preferred. 

• Porcelain crowns

These crowns are nowadays the most preferred in the dentistry circles. They have the following advantages:

• They have a natural look and are also similar to your natural teeth in color, shape and size. 
• Those looking for front-teeth restoration can opt for these crowns. 
• The crowns are non-toxic. 

If you care for them extensively, then these crowns will serve you for a long time. However, their strength is much lesser compared to metal and gold crowns. 

• Zirconia crowns

Zirconia crowns imbibe their strength from metal crowns. However, their aesthetic beauty is just like porcelain crowns. Although, the choice should be made after consulting with an experienced dentist. So, if you are thinking of opting for zirconia crowns for front teeth, you should first consult with your orthodontist. Nowadays, you can get them in translucent zirconia as well as layered zirconia varieties. They are preferred for the following properties:

1. They are natural-looking and provide great aesthetics.
2. They have less possibility of chipping and breaking.      
3. They are less expected to erode due to their strength.
4. The process takes less time as the zirconia can be shaped in the dentist’s chamber
5. These crowns have biocompatible properties and there are no allergic reactions.

On the other hand, the teeth on which they bite down can weaken easily. In some cases, solid zirconia is observed to have difficulty in adjusting. 

Selecting the proper clinic

Attaching the crown may seem like an unimportant procedure, however, it provides a permanent structure to the teeth operated on. It is best to consult and install your metal and ceramic crown in Jaipur from the most popular and efficient clinic.