3 Reasons To Feel Happy About Getting Dental Crowns

"You need a crown" is not a phrase that makes most dental patients jump for joy. Unless your dentist offers state-of-the-art "one-day crowns" that utilize laser scanning technology to fabricate a crown on the spot, you'll be looking at the usual process of shaping the tooth, having impressions made, and then having the crown fitted and adjusted. But you don't have to view dental crowns as an annoyance; in fact, you have plenty of reasons to feel good about your upcoming procedure. Here are three of them for your consideration.

1. You Can Say Goodbye to That Pain or Sensitivity

Have you been putting up with sharp pains or dull aches every time your tooth endures heat, cold, or biting pressure? Any damage to a tooth that exposes the pulp chamber makes sensitive nerve tissue vulnerable to intense stimulation, which often means intense pain from a condition known as pulpitis. If the nerve tissue sustains continued abuse for a long time, the pain may become a constant sensation; at the point, you have irreversible pulpitis, with root canal therapy as the only real solution. But if your pains only linger for a moment, then you may still be at a stage of reversible pulpitis, meaning that if you stop triggering the nerve tissue now, you can enjoy long-term freedom from that discomfort.

A well-timed crown fitting can rescue your pulp chamber from 24/7 pain. By electing to have the crown fitted before you actually need a root canal, you just might prevent that root canal from ever becoming a necessity. The porcelain or metal of a crown protects the nerve tissue from heat, cold, and pressure, allowing it to calm down and leave you alone.

2. You Can Keep That Cracked Tooth

Do you have a crack or break in one of your teeth? If the damage doesn't appear too noticeable and isn't causing you pain, you might assume that you can just go on with your life and forget about it. This is a bad idea. Bacteria can enter that narrow fissure and find its way into the root canal or even the jawbone. Before you know it, you've developed a raging toothache, an abscessed jaw, and/or a dangerous infection that could migrate to your heart and other major organs. a crack can also turn into a break, causing you to lose large chunks of the tooth. Of course, you can alleviate these threats by having the tooth extracted, but then you've lost some of your chewing function, and your jawbone density may be next.

Dental crowns can save fractured teeth. Not only does the crown prevent bacteria from entering the tooth, but it also provides critical reinforcement to strengthen a tooth weakened by damage. As a result, you may get full use out of that bad tooth for many happy, comfortable, functional years to come.

3. You Can Enjoy a Nicer Smile

Dental crowns may be prescribed as medical necessities for saving a tooth or preventing infections, but they also play an important role alongside cosmetic dentistry services such a whitening, veneers, bonding, and bridges. For instance, you can have crooked or gapped front teeth crowned with beautiful, symmetrical teeth. If your teeth need more strengthening than veneers or bonding can provide, crowns could be your corrective option of choice. A realistic shade of porcelain can also whiten teeth stained beyond the restorative abilities of clinical whitening techniques. Last but not least, porcelain crowns make convincing, high-quality cosmetic dental bridges or implants. All of these benefits add up to one big plus — a nicer smile.

The next time your dentist recommends dental crowns, don't get depressed. Think about the remarkable things that those crowns can do for your quality of life. If it's good for your mouth, it's a good thing!