Why Crowns Are The Jewels of Your Mouth

Alright, alright, we know technically jewels are found in crowns, not the other way around. But our crowns are truly like little jewels for your mouth. Not only are they strong and valuable, they look great, are worth their investment and stand the test of time.

We often get a lot of objections from our patients when we recommend that they have a crown fitted. Here are some of them…

‘I don’t want to pay that much for one tooth’

Why are they so expensive?’

‘It’s at the back- no one will see it so why does it matter?’

‘It is a waste of time’

‘They are so destructive, I don’t want my tooth filed down to a peg’

Continue reading to see some surprising answers to these comments. You may think of them in a whole new light….

In reality, a crown can provide a fix to something that could end up causing long term issues and on-going dental bills. So instead of focusing on the negatives, let’s look at the positives of crowns.

What is a Crown and Why do we need them?

A crown is a cover that is placed on a damaged tooth to restore it’s functionality and prevent pain, strengthen it and improve its appearance especially when another larger filling just won’t be strong enough or there are cracks that need to be held together. You can also choose to have cosmetic crowns fitted to improve the look of chipped, worn or discoloured teeth.

Historic Crowns versus Modern Onlays

Crowns have come a long way in recent years. In the past, they were destructive to your teeth and not as efficient. The tooth was filed down a long way so little of your original tooth remained.

PfM (porcelain fused to metal) crowns were a particularly frustrating type of crown. There was a risk that the surface ceramic would chip and break, which could look unsightly, was extremely annoying to the wearer after going through the cost and effort to get the crown done, only to have it break. Because these crowns were difficult to repair, it would need to be replaced instead.

Also a common complaint was the dark line that appeared at the gum margin if the gum lowered. This was due to the metal underneath the crown which modern crowns do not have. NO MORE BLUE MARGINS with modern crowns!

Modern Crowns

These days, the aim is to preserve as much of the tooth structure as possible. The focus is to strengthen what remains, instead of weakening the tooth further. More modern ceramic materials are also a lot stronger, and less likely to fracture or chip. With proper care and attention, crowns can last a lifetime.

The Cost Of a Crown versus Long Term benefits

We are not going to lie to you, a crown is a large upfront cost. But it can actually save you a lot of money in the long run. Even thousands of dollars.

If a tooth is damaged enough to need a crown, a filling is not going to cut it forever. Yes, it might work in the short term, but the tooth can continue to weaken from chewing forces, decay and require further fillings. This cycle can repeat until the tooth is too damaged to repair. This means x-rays, more filling costs, and time away from work for ongoing treatments such as root canals or cracked teeth or tooth extraction. A crown can protect against both of these things from happening. Back teeth are important to keep as they do the main heavy work of your chewing – without them the other teeth get over loaded and can begin to fail.

The overall concept of applying a crown and the materials used make the process more efficient. It allows the entire tooth to be strengthened, preventing the need for ongoing treatment. We all know ongoing treatment means ongoing bills!

While a crown in your mouth is not a royal status symbol, it can royally improve your oral health. Crowns might seem scary, time consuming to do and expensive on the face of it, but when you explore the benefits more fully, they really are the obvious option.

If you have any concerns about your teeth, then don’t hesitate to come and talk to us at Parnell Dentistry.