251 August 2015 - Gryffe Advertizer

www.advertizer.co.uk august 2015
Dental Blog
by Sheila Macintyre, Practice Owner,
Kilbarchan Dental Practice
Have you ever wondered what a
crown is and why you might need one?
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A crown is an artificial covering that is fitted onto part of an existing tooth.
There are a number of reasons you might need a crown, but broken teeth, or
teeth that have been weakened by decay or as the result of a very large filling,
are common ones. Additionally crowns may be applied to teeth that have had
a root filling, to keep a denture or bridge in place or to improve the appearance
of discoloured teeth.
Crowns need to be made of hard material, but this can vary from porcelain
(sometimes built up over a precious metal base), ceramic or even glass or
gold crowns. Glass and 100% porcelain are often used for front teeth to give
a more natural look while the other materials are suitable for use both front
and back.
Gold crowns aside, crowns are designed to give the appearance of a natural
tooth and, due to the work involved, they do require at least 2 visits to your
dentist. The first will involve the preparation of the tooth
and taking impressions (moulds) to ensure that the crown
fits the prepared tooth and is comfortable when you
bite - the preparation requires that some of the outer
surface of the existing tooth is removed to provide a
strong base. The impressions, along with a shade
match, are then sent to a dental technician to be
made. The second visit involves the careful fitting
of the crown.
Crowns can provide a long lasting cosmetic option
that will retain a natural look to your teeth. To find
out more call us on 01505 704969 or click www.
kilbarchandental.co.uk where you’ll find lots more
free tips and advice.