“A crown is a restoration. A tooth that has had a trauma or decay will need to be restored. There are different types of restoration, and all have a different purpose.
Crowns are particularly used to protect a tooth that has lost more than 50% of its structure due to decay or trauma. Also, crowns are used to restore root canal teeth and teeth that need to be modified anatomically for functional or esthetic reasons. Over the years, I have seen many people loose their root canal teeth, due to the lack of crown restoration. I would like to emphasize this point, for root canal treated teeth usually do not cause pain, and therefore patients forget that a crown is needed. Posterior teeth in particular are the most susceptible to fracture due to the lack of a crown. The force that our posterior teeth or molars have to withstand during normal activity is 9 times more than anterior teeth. This is why they end up fracturing, and many times the teeth are not restorable.
Today, a diversity of materials are available that are used to fabricate a crown. The most recent materials developed are very resistant to fracture and dislodgment. Also, the current cement and resins used to bond the tooth structure increase the strength of a crown. Crowns can help keep the natural function and support the structure of your teeth without sacrificing the esthetics, because the new materials can resemble the natural dentition very closely.
As your dentist, I recommend crown restoration — to protect your teeth, as well as to maintain their health, function and esthetics”.
Dr. Estella DeCastecker Mentor Ohio Dentist
