First, let’s understand what a dental crown is and why is it needed. A dental crown is a tooth-shaped cap or covering over the tooth to improve its shape and size, strength, appearance & durability.
You may need a dental crown to:

• Restore an already broken or worn-out tooth
• Cover discolored teeth, dental implant
• Hold a dental bridge in place
• Cover and support a tooth with a large filling
• Make a cosmetic modification
• Protect weak or decayed teeth from cracking
• Cover root canal treated teeth to prevent breakage.

What are the types of crowns available?

• Temporary crowns: These crowns are acrylic and are made in the clinic at chair-side. They can be used for temporary coverage or protection of the tooth until a permanent crown is constructed by a dental lab.
• Stainless steel crowns: These are pre-fabricated crowns that are used on permanent and baby teeth, primarily as a temporary measure. This crown is usually used in paediatric/child patients.
• Metal crowns: These crowns can be made from cast gold alloys or cast silver nickel chrome alloys. With a metal crown, less tooth structure needs to be removed. Metal crowns rarely chip or break. But because of their metallic colour it is not preferred by all, they are mainly a good choice for out-of-sight molars due to their un-aesthetic look.
• Porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns: These dental crowns look natural and can be very aesthetic. This is basically a metal crown with a covering of tooth coloured porcelain material. They can be a good choice for front or back teeth, but are prone to breakage or chipping quite easily.
• All-ceramic or porcelain dental crowns: Though they provide much better natural colour match than any other crown type, they are costlier than the regular crowns. Their strength is about 1.5 times more than metal.
• Zirconia or milled crown: These types of crowns are digitally constructed in dental offices that have the software and they require digital impression. They are costlier than the regular crowns. Their strength is about 1.5 times more than metal.

What are the advantages of getting a dental crown?
With a crown, you may be able to avoid many dental problems and more. Here are the advantages of getting a dental crown:

• Speech – Missing teeth or ill-fitting dentures can affect a patient’s speech, making their speech sound slurred or lisped. Restoring missing teeth with crowns can help a patient speak confidently, especially those phonetic sounds where the lips & tongue touch the teeth.
• Cosmetic- A dental crown can replace a missing tooth, restoring the look of your smile. For this purpose we would need to use tooth colours porcelain fused to metal or all ceramic crowns.
• Restorative – Due to their natural tooth-like features, crowns restore the full function of missing or damaged tooth and aid in speaking and chewing properly.

To avoid any or all dental problems, never forget to brush your teeth with India’s best toothpaste – Dabur Red Paste. Maintain proper oral hygiene and choose the right toothpaste to keep all dental problems away & ensure proper dental care.