Why It Takes Two Visits For A Crown
Dentists place what are called direct restorations and indirect restorations. Direct restorations are dental fillings that are placed directly while sitting in the dentist's chair the day you are getting your tooth filled. The dental filling material is in the dentist's office and can be directly placed that day. Indirect restorations are those that require fabrication outside of the office in a specialized dental laboratory. Such restorations include inlays, onlays, dental veneers, and dental crowns. Therefore, it takes one visit to prepare the area where the crown is to be placed and to take impressions, and a second visit during which your dentist will permanently bond your crown to your prepared tooth for your completed restoration.
How A Crown Is Fabricated
The crown of your tooth is the top of the tooth that we see above the gumline. When your tooth requires a crown, your dentist will prepare it by grinding your original tooth down so the crown (which is a hollow shell of a tooth) can fit over your original tooth to protect and strengthen it. After the tooth is ground down, your dentist will take an impression which is sent to a dental lab where the crown is fabricated, most commonly from porcelain. The crown that the dentist will permanently bond to your tooth during your second visit, will look just like your original tooth in size, shape, and color.
What Crowns Are Used For
Crowns are used for various reasons including:
- To hold together the parts of a cracked tooth
- To protect a weakened tooth from breaking
- To change the shape, size, or color of the original tooth
- To cover and support a tooth with a large filling when there isn't a lot of tooth left
- To cover and strengthen a tooth after root canal therapy
- As abutments to support a dental bridge
- To cover a dental implant