Crowns without the Royalty

Sure, The Crown on Netflix is a good show that illuminates the world of the monarchy in Britain. But in Michigan, the closest thing we have to royalty is Gordie Howe, and he wouldn’t have been caught dead wearing a bejeweled headpiece.

Ah, but he probably had a few crowns due to his profession. Those are the kind of crowns Dr. Egger likes — dental crowns. He views them as a great way to save a tooth with lots of damage or as anchors for a bridge (of which Mr. Howe no doubt had at least a couple).

What is a crown?

When a tooth is in trouble — it could have a serious crack, a huge filling that has compromised the tooth’s strength, or maybe there’s a ton of decay — a crown is basically the only way to save the tooth. A crown, as the name implies, fits over the entire visible (above the gum line) portion of the tooth returning strength to the underlying weakened natural portion of the tooth. Crowns are also used as the anchors for dental bridges. They are not, however, used for parades or inspecting the troops or for confusing people with all the lords, earls, dukes, et al.

Reasons for a crown

Crowns can be used to strengthen a weakened tooth or to overcome cosmetic issues. Dr. Egger places crowns to serve these purposes:

• You have a deeply cracked, worn, or fractured tooth
• You have an overly large cavity in a tooth
• Your tooth needs a root canal (a crown is placed on it afterwards)
• You have a tooth (or teeth) that is oddly shaped, very discolored, or overly small
• You need a bridge (crowns are placed on the abutment teeth)

How we place a crown

A crown is a two-appointment process; you don’t have to be born in some ancient bloodline! During your first visit Dr. Egger evaluates your tooth and uses x-rays to ascertain the amount of damage. Once he decides you need a crown, we’ll first clean your teeth. If heavily stained, we could recommend whitening before you get your crown. Next Dr. Egger will use a shade guide to match the color for the porcelain of your crown.

Now he’s ready to prepare the tooth. He shaves off a portion of the enamel on all four sides on top. Why? This makes room for the crown, so that once it is in place, your crowned tooth is the same size as your adjacent teeth. Then we take an impression of your prepared tooth and send it off to the dental lab for fabrication of your custom crown. To protect your tooth while the crown is being made, Dr. Egger places a temporary crown on it.

When your crown is finished, you come in for your second appointment. Dr. Egger checks the fit and the color match first. When satisfied, he cements the crown permanently onto the tooth. A few final adjustments are made for bite and fit, and you’re done.

Now your tooth looks great and is strong enough to last for a decade or more.

Do you have a tooth that has some serious damage? A crown could save it from extraction. Call Dr. Egger at (989) 773-3560 to make an appointment.