Dental Crown Towson MD • Keith Boenning, DDS

Dental Crown
Dental Crown graphic at Keith A. Boenning, DDS in Towson, MD

Saving a damaged or decayed tooth is always preferred over a tooth extraction. One of the many ways to repair a damaged tooth involves the placement of a dental crown. A dental crown is a tooth-shaped cap that is used to restore the size, shape, appearance, and strength of a particular tooth. Once the crown is in place, it will completely encase the visible portion of the tooth.

When Do You Need a Dental Crown?

At Keith A. Boenning, DDS, we may recommend a dental crown for the following situations:

•	To protect a decayed or damaged tooth from further damage
•	To hold together the parts of a fractured tooth
•	To provide support for a tooth with a large filling, or little tooth material left
•	To restore a severely worn down or broken tooth
•	To cover a dental implant
•	To improve the appearance of discolored or misshaped tooth.
•	To make another cosmetic alteration
•	To support a dental bridge

We may also recommend a dental crown if your child has a damaged or severely decayed primary (baby) teeth. These teeth may not seem very important, but they serve as placeholders until the permanent ones begin to erupt. When a primary tooth is lost prematurely, your child may experience complications that affect their oral health for years to come.

Dental Crown Procedure

The first part of the dental crown procedure involves examining and preparing the tooth. During your first visit, Dr. Keith A. Boenning will perform a comprehensive exam that may include x-rays, photographs, and 3D CBCT scans. Once we have a full overview of your tooth and surrounding tissues, will administer a local anesthetic to numb the area. If there is extensive decay, we may need to perform a root canal. If not, we will file down the tooth to accommodate the size of the crown. The tooth in question will be completely reshaped as a part of the preparation.

After the tooth is reshaped, we will take an impression of the area. Some impressions may be made with a putty-like material, while others are completely digital. The impression will be sent to our dental laboratory, where our lab technicians will use it to fabricate your final crown. This process can take several weeks to complete, and we may give you a temporary to protect the tooth in the meantime.

During your second appointment, we will remove the temporary and check the margins of your final crown. We want to ensure there is a perfect fit to avoid potential problems with the surrounding teeth. After we are satisfied with the fit, we will permanently cement it to the reshaped tooth.

Caring for a Dental Crown

Most crowns these days are made from porcelain, zirconia, or some other ceramic material. These materials have an unmatched esthetic value and durability. Dental crowns can be maintained with regular oral hygiene. Be sure to brush and floss on a daily basis, especially the areas involving the crown. Proper oral hygiene will limit issues of further decay or damage. If you do experience a problem with your crown, please be sure to contact us immediately.

Schedule Your Appointment

If you think you may be in need of a dental crown call (410) 828-1717, and schedule your appointment today.