Dental crowns are supposed to last you approximately ten years. But it’s no guarantee—food impaction and other forces can damage and impair your dental crown’s ability to function properly.
What Is A Dental Crown?
A dental crown is a cap placed over your tooth in order to prevent further fracture or decay, strengthen a weakened tooth, and provide the means for a tooth to function properly.
Depending on your dentist and cosmetic goals, your dental crown could be made of:
· Porcelain: The most aesthetically pleasing dental crown, but is not nearly as durable, thus confining its placement to lesser used areas of the mouth
· Porcelain-fused-to-metal: Stronger and more durable than pure porcelain
· Gold: The most durable but least desired due to cosmetic concerns
How My Dental Crown Can Be Damaged?
Your dental crown lifespan can be seriously compromised if you indulge in the wrong habits. Providing the appropriate post-treatment care and being conscious of the fact that your artificial tooth will always be weaker than your real ones can go miles.
This includes:
· Not chewing on inedible objects like ice, pen caps and fingernails
· Brushing twice a day with a soft-bristled toothbrush
· Use a non-abrasive toothpaste
· Stop grinding and clenching your teeth. If this habit is sub-conscious, wear a mouth guard while you sleep
· Return to your dentist for frequent cleanings
Beware Of Plaque Buildup
Your dental crown will be custom designed to fit your tooth. However, the area around your dental crown where the gum meets the tooth can easily gather plaque. Use floss or specially shaped brushes to remove all plaque from this area, or you risk ruining your dental crown and gum disease.
Change Your Eating Habits
Not necessarily the foods you consume—dental crowns can withstand those forces. But be mindful of what and how you chew:
· Reduce the amount of hard foods that you eat. When you do chew on something hard, chew on the other side of your mouth
· Try and avoid foods that require excessive chewing or are sticky
Am I A Candidate For Dental Crowns?
Only a consultation with your dentist can determine if you’re in need of a dental crown. Other restoration and preventative options exist, but none can provide your tooth with the kind of protection a dental crown can. Certain instances when a dental crown is the only option available are if the patient:
· Has gum disease
· Frequently grinds or clenches their teeth
· Has been the victim of serious dental decay
· The tooth requires drastic shape change
