Dental Crowns
Serving Burke, Fairfax, and Fairfax Station, Virginia
A dental crown is a tooth-saving procedure that can help you preserve your tooth and your attractive, healthy smile. If you have a fractured, worn, or decayed tooth that is weakened and in danger of failing, a dental crown can preserve it, restoring strength, functionality, and beauty to the damaged tooth. Cosmetic dentist Dr. Pamela Marzban uses crowns manufactured from a range of materials to give her DC metro area patients the attractive, strong, functional smiles they desire.
How Dental Crowns Save Teeth
A dental crown, also called a cap, is a sheath that fits snugly over the entire visible surface of the tooth, essentially giving your tooth a new surface. This allows it not only to give the tooth an attractive appearance, but to add support and strength. Most importantly, the crown seals the damaged tooth, protecting it from harmful bacteria.
When a tooth fractures, it allows bacteria to get inside the tooth and attack the pulp, or living part of the tooth. Once this happens, the infection can lead to serious tooth pain that may require a root canal to treat.
At first, tooth decay may be treated with tooth-colored fillings, porcelain inlays, or porcelain onlays, depending on the level of decay. When decay becomes too extensive and weakens the tooth or reaches the tooth pulp, a crown can be used to cover the tooth, preventing fracture or infection.
Options for Your Dental Crowns
Dr. Marzban offers three types of crowns: metal, porcelain fused to metal (PFM), and all-porcelain crowns. Precious metal crowns are strong and inexpensive, but some people do not like their appearance. PFM crowns give a good compromise of strength and appearance. They look like porcelain crowns and are strong like metal crowns. All-porcelain crowns are slightly more attractive than PFM crowns as they have a more natural luster, better color matching options, and will not show metal if your gums recede or if the crown experiences wear. All-porcelain crowns may not be appropriate for a tooth subjected to excess force due to TMJ.
Why Dr. Marzban for Your Dental Crowns
In fitting your crown, Dr. Marzban works hard to ensure that your new crown doesn't cause more problems than it solves. She will evaluate your crown for fit to ensure that it facilitates the proper fit and function of your bite. She will also consider whether neuromuscular problems like TMJ have contributed to the damage your tooth suffered and whether these need to be corrected to prevent failure of the restoration.
To learn more about dental crowns and which one is right for you, please call or email Dr. Marzban to schedule an appointment at our DC metro-area practice in Burke, Virginia.
