Dental crowns are versatile and practical dental restorations that restore damaged or weakened teeth, providing strength and improving aesthetics. These custom-made caps are placed over the entire visible portion of the tooth, restoring its shape, size, and function. Dental crowns play a crucial role in preserving damaged teeth, improving oral health, and enhancing the overall appearance of your smile.

At Inverness Smiles: John Aiken, DMD, we offer crowns made from different materials, including porcelain, ceramic, and metal alloys. We custom-design them to mimic the appearance of your natural teeth, ensuring they blend in seamlessly with your smile. Dental crowns are often recommended when a tooth is too damaged or weak to support a traditional filling or other restoration. 

The Dental Crown Process 

During your initial visit, our dentist will examine the damaged tooth, taking X-rays to assess the extent of the damage and check the surrounding bone and gums. The affected tooth is reshaped and reduced to accommodate the dental crown. This ensures a secure fit and proper alignment with adjacent teeth.

Our dentist will take detailed impressions of the prepared tooth and surrounding teeth. These impressions serve as the model for crafting your custom dental crown. While the permanent crown is fabricated in a dental laboratory, a temporary crown will be placed over the prepared tooth to protect it.

Once the custom dental crown is ready, our dentist will remove the temporary crown and place the permanent crown over your tooth and make any necessary adjustments to ensure a proper fit and bite. 

The Benefits of Dental Crowns 

• Strengthening Damaged Teeth 

Dental crowns are ideal for restoring teeth that are severely decayed, fractured, or weakened. By covering the entire visible portion of the tooth, crowns provide protection and support, preventing further damage and potential tooth loss. 

• Improved Tooth Function 

A dental crown restores a damaged tooth's original shape, size, and alignment, allowing you to chew, bite, and speak easily. With the added strength and stability the crown provides, you can enjoy normal dental function without discomfort or limitations. 

• Natural Appearance 

Dental crowns are carefully crafted to match your natural teeth in terms of color, shape, and size. Made from materials like porcelain or ceramic, crowns resemble natural teeth, ensuring they blend in seamlessly with your smile. 

• Enhanced Aesthetics 

In addition to improving tooth function, dental crowns also enhance the appearance of your smile. They can correct misshapen or severely discolored teeth, transforming your smile and boosting self-confidence. 

CEREC Same-day crowns 

CEREC Same-day crowns revolutionize the field of dentistry by combining cutting-edge technology with expedited treatment options. CEREC, an acronym for Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramics, is a state-of-the-art system that allows dental professionals to create and place custom-fit ceramic crowns in a single appointment. This innovative solution eliminates the need for multiple visits, temporary restorations, and messy impressions.

Process

The procedure begins with an initial consultation where the dentist thoroughly examines and assesses the patient's oral health. Following that, a digital impression of the prepared tooth is taken using advanced CAD/CAM technology. This precise scan captures every intricate detail necessary to create a perfectly fitting crown. Next, this digital image is sent to an onsite milling machine that crafts the crown from a solid block of ceramic material within minutes. While waiting for the crown to be milled, patients can relax comfortably without wearing temporary restorations or scheduling multiple appointments. Once ready, the dentist ensures proper fit and aesthetics before permanently bonding it onto the prepared tooth structure using specialized adhesives and curing lights for durability and longevity. By offering same-day crowns through CEREC technology, dentists can ensure immediate patient satisfaction while streamlining their practice workflow for enhanced efficiency and convenience.

Benefits of Same-day Crowns

Same-day crowns offer a multitude of benefits that make them an exceptional choice in dental restorations. The major benefit is convenience, as these crowns are fabricated and placed all in one appointment, eliminating the need for multiple visits to the dentist. This not only saves valuable time but also reduces any potential discomfort and inconvenience patients may experience from prolonged treatments. Another advantage lies in their precise fit and natural aesthetics, as same-day crowns are custom-made using advanced digital technology that ensures optimal accuracy and seamless integration with the patient's existing teeth. Moreover, these modern restorations provide superior strength and durability due to their high-quality materials, such as ceramic or zirconia, ensuring long-lasting results without compromising on aesthetics. Ultimately, choosing same-day crowns means enjoying a hassle-free experience while achieving excellent functional and cosmetic outcomes for individuals seeking efficient dental solutions.

Dental crowns can address a wide range of dental concerns, whether you have a damaged tooth, need a tooth replacement, or desire an aesthetic improvement. Visit Inverness Smiles: John Aiken, DMD, at 5291 Valleydale Rd, Suite 129, Birmingham, AL 35242, or call (205) 995-3989 to learn more about dental crowns.