Crowns Are Tough
Crowns Are Tough
Most of us have an uncle who yammers on about his “caps.” He may even have made the trek to your home from Ypsilanti or Cheboygan over the holidays, and you got to see his famous gold caps in person.
What he’s actually talking about are crowns, and they aren’t made of gold much anymore. Dr. Egger prefers to place porcelain crowns on his patients these days. Crowns are a tooth lifesaver, returning strength to a tooth that could otherwise be in danger of needing extraction.
Caps? Crowns?
People used to refer to crowns as caps because they kind of looked like a cap. This dental prosthetic covers the entire visible portion of the tooth, all the way down to the gumline. These used to predominantly be made of gold, so they stood out quite a bit when the person had his or her mouth open.
Today’s crowns are the same thing — they cover the tooth completely — but they are usually made from dental porcelain, so they match your other adjacent teeth perfectly and no one knows you have a crown in place. Dr. Egger loves porcelain for these prosthetics because porcelain closely resembles natural tooth enamel the way it partially reflects light and in its slight translucence. Most people can’t tell the difference between a natural tooth and a porcelain-crowned tooth next to it.
What does a crown do?
Sometimes a tooth has some serious problems. It may have a deep crack. It may have a large cavity, and now is showing new decay around it. The tooth may have been worn down over the years by grinding at night. The strength of the tooth is compromised. Placing a crown over the tooth enables the patient to keep the tooth, but the crown returns full chewing and biting strength to it.
Crowns also have a couple other uses. One is cosmetic. If a tooth is misshapen or deeply discolored (usually by a reaction to tetracycline or from trauma), a crown can cover it and make the tooth appear perfect. If Dr. Egger performs a root canal on a tooth, a crown is usually then placed on that tooth to protect it since the interior has been removed. This is always true with molars. Finally, Dr. Egger uses crowns to anchor bridges. Crowns are placed on the two teeth on each side of the missing tooth or teeth. The crowns are the anchors for the one-piece bridge that holds the artificial tooth or teeth.
Crowns are long-lasting, durable dental tools for Dr. Egger. And, unlike your uncle, if you have a crown placed by Dr. Egger, no one will even know it’s there. No “caps” for you!
Is it time for your next exam and cleaning? Call us at (989) 773-3560 to make your appointment.