Article Details

5 Signs You Need a Dental Crown

#1: You Have a Large Filling

• In your early years, you may have had cavities that required large fillings.
• Over time, the original tooth can become weak, fracture, and crack.
• A tooth with a large filling, especially an old filling, will need a dental crown to protect and strengthen the remainder of the tooth.

#2: You have a Broken/Fractured/Cracked Tooth

• If you feel tooth pain that seems excessive, you could have a broken or fractured tooth.
• A fracture can come from a large filling that has weakened the tooth, or biting on something hard not knowing that a tooth is weak.
• A dental crown will help support and strengthen the broken, fractured tooth. It will also help keep the damaged tooth together.
• The severity of the break determines the necessity for a crown or filling or more extensive procedures like a root canal treatment. Your dentist can diagnose which reparative option is best for the situation.

#3: You Just Got a Root Canal Treatment Done!

• A root canal requires the dentist to drill into the middle of your tooth in order to remove all the decay. Unfortunately, though this procedure is necessary, it can weaken the structure of the tooth.
• When a tooth is weakened, it can fracture more easily, especially molars (back teeth) because they do most of the chewing.
• Sometimes with front teeth the dentist can use a filling; however, usually the best way to protect the tooth is using a dental crown.

#4: You Have an Advanced Cavity

• If you have a cavity that’s advanced, there probably isn’t enough of a strong tooth available for a filling, so a dental crown is the best option.
• The crown provides much better protection long-term than a simple filling.

#5: Misshapen or Stained Teeth

• If you have one or more teeth that are misshapen or severely stained, you understand how it can affect your self-confidence.
• Stains are usually caused by substances such as cigarettes, coffee, tea, or improper care of your teeth.
• A tooth that is misshapen can be the result of a congenital condition, a chip, or teeth grinding.
• When your bite has altered through teeth grinding or lost dentition, it can be corrected by increasing the vertical dimension with a crown(s).
• If your teeth are too short from a congenital condition or chips and need to be lengthened, crowns can be the solution.
• Not only can a dental crown improve the appearance of a tooth it can also strengthen the structure.