A tooth that is too damaged or weak to be restored with a filling alone often requires the protection of a crown. Some patients feel nervous before this procedure. Most of the anxiety comes from not knowing what’s going to happen to their teeth. We break down the steps in easy-to-understand terms so you know exactly what to expect when getting a dental crown at our office in Missouri City.
How Many Visits Does It Take to Get a Crown?
You’ll need two to three visits to the dental office. The first visit is a consultation with our dental expert. Most of the time, crown preparation is done on the same appointment. In some cases, we may schedule another appointment for this step.
The next visit is simple. It’s for placing the custom-made crown on your tooth. This visit is comparatively shorter than your crown preparation appointment.
How the Dental Crown Placement Works
Here’s a step-by-step breakdown:
Examining the tooth
Our Missouri City dentist takes a close look at the tooth. We also take dental X-rays to see how far the damage has reached. We may discuss root canal treatment before the crown procedure if the decay or damage is reaching down to your pulp (inner core).
Numbing
Local anesthesia is used to numb the tooth. You’ll only feel a brief pinch. We check that the tooth is fully numb before moving forward.
Removing decay and preparing your tooth
All the decayed part of your tooth is removed. Then we trim a thin layer of enamel on all surfaces of the tooth. This step is very important. It makes enough room for the crown so that it sits naturally and does not look or feel bulky.
Impressions
We record impressions of your teeth as well as your bite. The whole process, starting from numbing the tooth, takes about 60 to 90 minutes.
Our dentist sends them to a lab, along with guidelines on the shape and color of the crown. Until your new crown is ready, we fit a temporary crown on your tooth.
Fitting the new crown
The temporary crown comes off. We clean the tooth and test the fit of your new crown before cementing it. Some adjustments are made on the same visit if needed to make sure your crown fits well.
We’ll also check your bite. Our dentist fixes any high-pressure spots. You should be able to bite down normally without feeling like there’s a bulky cap on your tooth.
Care guidelines
At the end of your visit, you get instructions from our dentist on caring for your new dental crown. Most of them are basic oral hygiene practices. You only have to make a few changes, including some dietary modifications like limiting hard and chewy foods to make your crown last longer.
Summing Up
You’ll likely need two to three visits in total to get a new crown placed on your tooth. Most people find the procedure quite comfortable. If you’re considering dental crown placement or want to know more about how it works, consult our dentist at Alonso Family Dental today. Make an appointment by calling us at (281) 778-8400.