dental crown Archives | Williams Family Dentistry

Metals in Dental Crowns

Posted on February 29, 2024 by writeradmin.

I prefer natural medication and need a dental crown. I am looking for something that is completely metal free including ions because I want to keep my body healthy and feel that these foreign substances will harm me. Do you know what Vita ceramic is made of? Is it glass?

Ceanne

Dear Ceanne,

While there are many options in getting a metal-free dental crown, I do not believe you will find anything without metal ions. These are something completely different than metal. In fact, in many cases, they are necessary for your body to survive. Here are a couple of examples:

Iron: The hemoglobin in our blood has (and needs) iron ions. In fact, it is what gives your blood its red color. When this is deficient, it is called anemia and is quite bad for you. In fact, I know someone who spent a week in the hospital and almost died because of a lack of iron in her blood.

Salt: Another example is sodium. When you have sodium as a pure metal, it is toxic. However, when it is combined as a metal ion with chlorine it is sodium chloride, or common table salt. This is also essential for your body’s health.

My suggestion is that you see a metal-free dentist. They can help you get a crown that is made of some ceramic. You would not want a glass crown. Those are not strong enough to hold up to your bite.

When you get your dental crown, no matter what material you choose, the color will be permanent. If you are happy with the current color of your teeth, than no further action will need to be taken. If you want an update in your color, then you will want to get your teeth whitened before the crowns are designed.

This blog is brought to you by Lexington, KY Dentist Dr. James E. Williams.

Do I Need to Get a Crown on a Root Canaled Tooth?

Posted on February 19, 2020 by writeradmin.

I have a canine tooth that needs a root canal treatment. My dentist also wants me to get a crown. To tell you I’m not fond of dentists is an understatement. I get that I’ll need the root canal treatment. The tooth is infected. That has to be fixed. I get that. Do I have to also get a dental crown? The less time I spend in the dental chair the better.

Kevin

Dear Kevin,

You didn’t mention what tooth needed the root canal treatment. A root canal treatment can make a tooth brittle. Some dentists will just try to crown every tooth after a root canal. However, the location of the tooth makes a big difference as to whether or not you’ll need a crown. If it is a back tooth, then I would say the crown is absolutely necessary.

Molars have between two to four cusps, depending on whether they are a premolar or not. When stress is placed on those cusps, like you’d get with biting forces, the cusps pull apart. This causes split fractures. The back teeth are used for grinding so having a crown protects it.

The front teeth, however, are used for biting and tearing. The shearing stress on front teeth means that putting a crown on that tooth will actually put it at more risk of damage. Instead, I would handle it this way. Don’t let him place root canal filling material. This will cause a darkening of the tooth. The better plan is to place a white fiberglass post. Then fill the rest with a white composite filling material. This will protect your tooth and keep it a color you’ll be pleased with.

Dealing with Dental Anxiety

You are not alone in your dislike of the dental chair. I want to suggest you look for a dentist who offers dental sedation. This will allow you to have stress free as well as pain free appointments.

Most patients find this completely changes their lives. It makes it easier for them to get to the dentist. This in turns keeps them from having fewer, if any, dental infections and gives them better overall oral health.

This blog is brought to you by Lexington, KY Dentist Dr. John Weaver.

Why Can’t the Dentist Get Me Numb?

Posted on December 24, 2019 by writeradmin.

I had to have a root canal treatment on a tooth that was injured years ago and has now picked up an infection. My dentist could not get me numb, even after six shots for one tooth. He’s at a loss. He didn’t charge me for the visit and has prescribed me some strong pain killers. I can’t live like this much longer. My dentist is doing his own research to try to figure out what to do, but I thought I’d write to you to see if you have experienced this with any of your patients. If so, did you find a solution?

Andrew

Dear Andrew,

I can help you. I have encountered this a few times. My suspicion is you struggle with some level of dental anxiety. Actually, based on how hard it was for your dentist to get you numb, it’s probably strong anxiety. It may not be in going to the dentist on its own, but in the procedure you needed.

What many dentists don’t realize is how that anxiety affects your metabolism. When you are anxious, your body’s metabolism kicks up a notch. This burns off the numbing medication. Therefore, what you need is something to keep your anxiety level down.

I’m going to suggest you use dental sedation for this procedure. Most dentists who offer sedation have two levels available. The first is nitrous oxide. This is for patients who are mildly anxious. It’s commonly called laughing gas and will relax you. It has the additional benefit of allowing you to get on with your day as normal after the procedure is done.

The second level is for those with more substantial anxiety. It’s known as oral conscious sedation (OCS). This is administered by a pill. However, it is so strong, you will need someone to drive you to and from your appointment, as well as remain with you afterward until you are lucid again. Most patients who take OCS sleep through their procedure, which is why some call it sleep dentistry.

If your dentist doesn’t offer either of these services, you can see a different practitioner for your root canal treatment. You don’t have to switch dentists entirely if you are happy with your current one. You can just go for this one thing and then return to your dentist.

Generally, after a root canal treatment, you will need to have a dental crown placed to protect the tooth.

This blog is brought to you by Lexington, KY Dentist Dr. John Weaver.

Whitening a Discolored Crown

Posted on September 1, 2018 by writeradmin.

I have a dental crown which can be seen when I smile. It’s started getting darker than usual. I don’t know what happened. I’ve had it for a bit so maybe it’s just wearing out?? I need to get it whitened, but don’t know what procedure to ask for. I thought while I was at it, I’d whiten my teeth too and start with a brand new smile. What do I do for the crown?

Amanda

Dear Amanda,

If this staining started suddenly, it sounds like something recently happened to your crown which removed the glazing from it. Unfortunately, the only solution for a stained crown is to replace it. If you’ve had it for a while, it was probably getting close to the end of its lifespan anyway, so that won’t be as tragic as if it was a fairly new crown.

Teeth whitening only works on natural tooth structure. While we can make a dental crown or bridge any color the patient requests, We don’t yet have a way to whiten dental work which is already completed.

However, this doesn’t have to interfere with your plans to renew your smile through whitening.

Do You Need a Cosmetic or General Dentist for Teeth Whitening?

While there are certain procedures which really require some artistic expertise in cosmetic dentistry, such as porcelain veneers, that’s not the case with teeth whitening. Any general dentist should be able to provide it.

There are generally two main professional teeth whitening options: in-office and at-home. Most dentists offer at-home whitening. But, if you’re wanting to whiten your teeth fast, you’ll want a dentist who offers an in-office option, such as Zoom! Whitening. This allows you to get your teeth whitened in just one appointment.

When it comes to which came first the chicken or the egg, there’s still debate. However, the question of the crown or the whitening is much easier. Do the teeth whitening first. That way, you’ll have all your teeth the color you want and your new porcelain crown can be made to match.

This blog is brought to you by Lexington, KY Dentist Dr. John Weaver.