Dental Crowns
Everyone wants to maintain a healthy mouth. We brush and floss our teeth, schedule checkups and professional cleanings, and do just about anything to keep a beautiful smile. But sometimes, preventative dental care is not enough to stop tooth decay. That is why Dr. Rifkin offer dental restorations to repair damaged teeth. Minor instances of damage or decay only require a dental filling in most cases. If you have a larger problem, we may recommend a dental crown.
When it comes to dental crowns, we understand that many patients want an esthetically-pleasing option, especially when the tooth is in the visible smile line. We fabricate our dental crowns using the finest materials available, typically porcelain. Porcelain is an aesthetically-pleasing and durable material.
Reasons for a Dental Crown
A dental crown has both functional and aesthetic value. Many times, we recommend a crown to cover and strengthen a damaged tooth. Damage can be the result of injury, trauma, or decay. You may need a dental crown if you have a chipped, cracked, discolored, or abnormally-shaped tooth. Crowns are an excellent way to prevent further damage to a tooth and avoid extraction.
The crown acts as a cap that we permanently cement to the enamel. We may also attach a crown to an implant post in lieu of a missing tooth.
Crown Procedure
The procedure for a traditional crown is usually broken up into two appointments. The first part of the dental crown procedure involves examining and preparing the tooth. During your first visit, Dr. Rifkin will perform a comprehensive exam that may include x-rays, photographs, and 3D CBCT scans. Once we have a full overview of your tooth and surrounding tissues, will administer local anesthetic to numb the area. If there is extensive decay, we may need to perform a root canal. If not, we will file down the tooth to accommodate the size of the crown. The tooth in question will be completely reshaped as a part of the preparation.
After the tooth is reshaped, we will take an impression of the area. Some impressions may be made with a putty-like material, while others are completely digital. The impression will be sent to our dental laboratory, where our lab technicians will use it to fabricate your final crown. This process may take a few weeks to complete. In the meantime, Dr. Rifkin may suggest a temporary restoration to protect the tooth.
Once your final restoration is ready, we can schedule your second appointment. During this visit, we will remove the temporary and check the margins of your final crown. We may need to make some minor adjustments to achieve the perfect fit and avoid potential problems. After we are satisfied with the fit, we will permanently cement it to the reshaped tooth.
Testimonials
People rated our Services
“Dr Rifkin has the hands of an angel. Never had any pain with his procedures. He is the Michelangelo of restorative dentistry. I’ve been going to him for forty years and will be going to him after he retires.”
“Dr. Rifkin is simply the best. Not everybody is lucky enough to become his patient. He is a caring Dentist first. Period. But he is also an artist with an eye for detail ... just a rare find. His smiles are so natural, so translucent and luminous you would never know that they aren't made by nature.”
“Great experience Dr. Rifkin and his staff are both pleasant and professional. It’s over a two hour drive for me but worth the trip for superior dentistry!”
Benefits of Ceramic Crowns
We specialize in ceramic crowns because of their numerous benefits, including:
- Aesthetics. Ceramic crowns mimic the texture, color, and light-reflective properties of natural teeth. This ensures they blend in with the rest of your smile.
- Durable. Recent technological advancements have led to an improvement in the durability of ceramic material, even if you do not choose the CEREC system. Under proper care, a crown may even last a lifetime!
- Biocompatible. Ceramic is a biocompatible material that gum tissue tolerates extremely well, unlike other alternatives such as silver amalgam and gold. There is no risk of an allergic reaction, and a reduced risk of sensitivity issues while eating or drinking.
To learn more about the dental crowns we offer, click or call today!