A crown is a tooth-shaped cover placed over a tooth that is badly damaged or decayed. Many people call it a cap.
Crowns may be placed for several reasons. Usually the tooth has been broken or severely damaged by decay. As a result, a filling can't replace enough of the tooth or make the tooth strong enough. A crown may hold together parts of a cracked tooth. It also can be used to hold a bridge in place. Crowns can be used to improve appearance as well. They may be placed to cover misshapen or badly discolored teeth.
Crowns can be made ahead of time (prefabricated) or made to order in a laboratory. Prefabricated crowns are made of plastic or stainless steel. They can be used on a temporary basis until a permanent crown is made.
Crowns can be made of:
- All metal
- Zirconia
- Porcelain fused to metal (PFM)
- Porcelain fused to zirconia
- All ceramic
Metals include gold alloy, other alloys (palladium) or a base-metal alloy (nickel or chromium). The all-metal or PFM crowns are stronger and are better choices for back teeth than ceramic crowns. PFM and all-ceramic crowns are the same color as your natural teeth. They look just like normal teeth.
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Have Your Dream Smile
Having the smile you have always dreamed of changes the way you feel about yourself! To achieve the aesthetics you want, we use a combination of restorative techniques that let you have that healthy, attractive smile. These makeovers are both affordable and easy to achieve, so there is no reason for not coming into our office to hear what we can do for you. We will discuss techniques such as bonding, whitening, tooth-colored fillings, and crowns.
No Drilling, No Shots, NO KIDDING!
As an alternative to veneers and other cosmetic makeover procedures, we now offer our patients Snap-On Smile™. With Snap-On Smile there is no tooth preparation or bonding, and no shots or drilling. This is an appliance that simply fits over your teeth, can be worn while eating, and lasts for years. It is removable whenever you want and is a great solution for an affordable and quick makeover. Our patients who have Snap-On Smile are impressed with the feel and look of a natural, beautiful smile.
Professional Teeth Whitening in One Visit!
In just one visit, you can have dazzling white teeth with all stains and darkness removed and the results lasting for years. With our method we use a professional-strength whitening product and custom-made whitening trays to fit over your teeth, and give you supplies and instructions to complete the procedure at home. Not only is it effective and safe, you will see results in 1 - 14 days.
Whitening for Severely Stained Teeth
Although power whitening works very well for most smiles, some teeth may be severely stained – for instance, from taking the antibiotic tetracycline. To dissolve the stains and whiten these teeth, our dentists are among the first in this area to offer KöR Whitening Deep Bleaching™. With this technique, we are able to obtain brilliantly white teeth in cases that have been very difficult to lighten. If you have tried other methods with little to no results, you will be surprised what we can do for you!
No More Metals – Really!
The mercury-silver amalgam is the filling material used for years, and it provides reasonable restoration. However, it does not bond that well to the tooth, allowing bacteria to eventually settle under the filling, resulting in decay. Also, many patients do not like these fillings because of the appearance of a silver plug. Today, we offer a restoration that looks natural and blends in with tooth color. As it bonds tightly to the tooth, the filling strengthens the tooth structure and reduces the chance of future decay.
Need for a Crown
If a tooth is too damaged, a filling will not restore it. Placing a crown over the tooth is the best way to save and strengthen it. The high-quality materials we use not only will preserve the tooth for years to come, but will appear as natural as your other teeth.
Two Quick Trips to our Office for your Smile Makeover
We can change your smile by correcting gaps, discoloration, and misshapen teeth in as few as two appointments. We use porcelain veneers that fit over and bond to your teeth. Veneers are created from advanced dental ceramic and are very natural looking. Our patients have been very pleased with the results.
Infinite Smiles
5430 Lemay Ferry Road, Suite 3
St. Louis, MO 63129
(314) 892-8853
www.InfiniteSmilesDental.com
A crown is a tooth-shaped cover placed over a tooth that is badly damaged or decayed. Many people call it a cap.
