Porcelain Crowns

Restorative dentistry is a part of life for tens of millions Americans. One of the most common restorations for a damaged or decayed tooth is known as a dental crown. More specifically, we here at Laser Dental Bakersfield specialize in porcelain dental crowns, because we want our patients to have the very best in restorative care!

What Is A Porcelain Dental Crown?

We may recommend a dental crown to restore the size, shape, structure, and appearance of a damaged tooth. The most common causes of damage include tooth decay and facial trauma. While crowns are typically used for restorative purposes, porcelain crowns can also improve the cosmetics of a tooth.

In the past, patients had to choose between a base metal alloy (silver) crown or gold crown. While these materials provide superior durability and longevity, they offer little in the way of cosmetics. Thanks to improvements in technologies, techniques, and restorative materials, ceramic crowns are now the industry standard.

Porcelain is a ceramic compound that produces both durable and esthetically-pleasing restorations. The material can be color-matched to your surrounding teeth and possesses the same light-reflective properties as natural enamel. In other words, your porcelain crown will be virtually-indistinguishable from the rest of your smile.

Consultation Exam

Dr. Jeannie Molato, DMD will be able to determine if you are a suitable candidate for a porcelain crown during your consultation dental exam. This comprehensive examination usually includes the use of cutting-edge technology, such as digital x-rays and CBCT scans. Whether or not you qualify for a porcelain crown depends on the location of the tooth, and the severity of your issues.

We may recommend a porcelain crown to:

• Restore a broken or severely worn down tooth
• Protect a structurally weak tooth, usually do to decay, from breaking apart
• Keep the parts of a fractured tooth together
• Support a tooth that has undergone failed restorative treatment (large fillings)
• Improve the cosmetics of a severely discolored or misshaped tooth
• Restore a missing tooth with a dental implant or bridge
• Improve the esthetics of a healthy tooth

A dental bridge is a tooth replacement that usually consists of two dental crowns linked together by a false tooth, or pontic. During a relatively minor procedure, the two teeth adjacent to the open space are capped with the crowns, while the pontic “bridges” the gap. The procedure is very similar to that of a dental crown but slightly more intensive.

Porcelain Crown Procedure

The procedure for a porcelain crown is typically split up into two appointments. During the first appointment, Dr. Jeannie Molato, DMD will numb the tooth with local anesthetic to eliminate pain, and provide a more comfortable experience. Next, the tooth must be completely reshaped to accommodate the size and shape of the crown.

After we remove a significant amount of enamel, and the tooth is properly prepared, we can take a mold or impression. Over the next few weeks, our laboratory technicians will use this impression to fabricate your natural-looking porcelain crown. For this reason, we may give you a temporary restoration to use until your second appointment.

During your second appointment, we will remove the temporary and check the margins of your final crown. We may need to make some last-minute adjustments to achieve the proper fit. Once your new restoration is perfect, we can permanently bond it to the enamel.