Serving patients of Erwin, Jonesborough, and Greeneville, TN
Tusculum Dental Care believes it is important to prevent tooth loss whenever possible. If you have a tooth that has sustained significant damage due to tooth decay or injury, your local Greeneville dentist can install a crown to strengthen your tooth and prevent total tooth loss.
Before receiving a crown or undergoing any dental procedure, it is wise to do your homework. Tusculum Dental Care is here to help, providing answers to these frequently asked questions about crowns.
What is a dental crown?
A crown replaces the entire exterior of a tooth down to the gum line. Each crown is custom-made to match the shape and color of the surrounding teeth. Once installed, a crown protects the sensitive interior structure of the tooth, also known as pulp, which includes the tooth’s nerves, and blood vessels.
Why is a crown preferable to having a tooth pulled?
Losing a permanent tooth can, over time, have several negative consequences on your oral health. The adjacent teeth are prone to shifting to fill the gap created by the lost tooth, which can lead to crooked teeth or a misaligned bite. Depending on its position in the mouth, a lost tooth can hinder your ability to eat and chew, leading to nutritional problems. People who lose permanent teeth also are at a higher risk of oral health ailments such as gum disease and temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ).
Pulling a seriously compromised tooth may seem like the right choice at the time—and an extraction usually is less expensive than receiving a treatment such as a crown to save the tooth. However, in the long run, receiving a crown is a better option for your oral health than an extraction. In fact, many patients report that a tooth repaired by a crown looks, feels, and performs better following the procedure. Plus, you save money by not having to replace the missing tooth later on.
What can I expect during a crown procedure?
The installation of any crown entails two appointments at our Greeneville office. At the first appointment, after receiving a local anesthetic to ensure you do not feel any discomfort, all the damaged or diseased portion of the tooth will be removed. We will use our digital impression system to create a computerized model of your tooth, which is used as a guide to fabricate your crown. This digital impression system is more precise than the traditional method of taking impressions through molds, which also can be messy and uncomfortable for patients. Learn more about how Tusculum Dental Care uses the latest advances in technology to provide care. A temporary restoration then will be placed on the tooth.
At the subsequent appointment, which usually is about two weeks later, your permanent crown will be placed on the tooth. Tusculum Dental Care employs cutting-edge adhesive technology to bond a crown onto your tooth. This helps ensure a snug, comfortable fit, and prevents your crown from coming loose or popping off in the future.
What will my crown look like once it is installed?
Each crown installed by your local Greeneville dentist has an exterior of dental porcelain, a durable and beautiful material that reflects light in a similar fashion to natural tooth enamel. This light-reflecting quality, in combination with the aesthetic eye of the dentists at Tusculum Dental Care, helps make sure your crown blends seamlessly with your smile.
Dental Crowns in Greeneville
If you think you may need a crown or this procedure has been recommended for you by another dental professional, call the office of Tusculum Dental Care today at (423) 639-7575 or (423) 639-4176 to schedule a consultation.
Tusculum Dental Care is proud to serve patients in the areas of Greeneville, Jonesborough, and Erwin, Tennessee.