Crowns
Perhaps you have a large cavity filling that started to irritate you or started to leak. Maybe you recently got a root canal. Maybe your tooth is discolored and you want to improve the appearance, but a veneer wasn’t the right choice for you.
Maybe you tried to uncork a bottle with your teeth a few months ago and the tooth has never felt the same. It's probably time to consider getting a crown to protect your tooth!
What are crowns? How do I know if I need a crown?
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Advances in the strength and appearance of porcelain crowns have made them the leading choice in restoring damaged teeth to their former splendor. A tooth that has had root canal therapy, or is worn down from grinding, decay or fracture, is likely to break from the stress of daily use. A crown strengthens your tooth by providing 360-degrees of coverage.
How does it protect my tooth?
Crowns are full-coverage restorations that are used to cover a tooth that is likely to break or is too damaged to be corrected with a traditional filling.
It is effective and improves your tooth condition by:
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Strengthening a heavily-restored tooth to prevent future fracture
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Restoring loss of tooth structure from heavy grinding
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Improving tooth aesthetics
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Relieving pain from any damage or fractures
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What to Expect
2 appointments
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FIRST APPOINTMENT
At your first appointment at Leung Dental in Hayward, we will first take a putty impression of your tooth. We will then administer local anesthesia for the tooth being treated. You won't feel a thing! Dr. Wilson Leung and Dr. Katherine Leung will then prepare the tooth conservatively, to create room for the crown.
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After careful assessment of the prepared tooth, shape and contour, a final impression of the affected tooth will be taken. This impression will allow the lab ceramist to create and calibrate a porcelain crown that looks and feels like your natural tooth.
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A temporary crown is fabricated, polished and cemented. During the next two weeks, it's very important that you take good care of your temporary crown. That means no sticky, crunchy foods (no gum!) near the affected tooth. If you floss around the area, pull the floss down and through the adjacent teeth, not back up, otherwise you'll dislodge the temporary. Don't worry - we'll review this with you at your appointment. If the temporary crown pops off, save the temporary crown, and come visit us at our office so we can help you temporarily cement it back on. The purpose of temporary crowns is to protect the tooth from sensitivity and to make sure the gums don't grow over the prepared margins of the tooth.
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SECOND APPOINTMENT
At your second visit, we will remove the temporary crown and clean your prepared tooth. We then try in your final crown and examine and adjust as necessary to ensure a perfect fit. We will take a dental X-ray to ensure quality fit and aesthetic approval. We'll then use an adhesive to apply to the tooth and crown and cement it on your tooth! We'll remove all excess cement. You’ll then be provided with all the necessary instruction to take proper care of your new crown!
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Contact Leung Dental
If you are looking for a caring and thorough dentist in the Hayward area, we encourage you to make an appointment with Dr. Wilson Leung and Dr. Katherine Leung by calling us at 510-886-8899, or by clicking here!
Each member of our staff is dedicated to ensuring that our patients are always comfortable and well-informed during their visits with us. We look forward to your call and welcoming you to the Leung Dental family.
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