Dental Crowns

Dentist Fairfax, VA

The Sensational Smiles Team knows that living with a tooth that has been compromised in any way can take a toll on your daily life. It can affect your chewing and eating habits, which can affect your nutrition. It may also cause you to feel self-conscious about smiling or talking to others, which diminishes your confidence.

Dental crowns cover an entire area of the tooth or the entire tooth with the goal of protecting all remaining tooth structure. They are customized to your dental needs in a laboratory and they allow you to eat, chew, talk and smile as you did before. When your tooth structure is compromised in any way, whether from trauma, natural wear and tear or extensive decay, a dental crown corrects, conceals and protects. The dental crown also works to prevent infection and provides support for damaged tooth structure.

There are a few situations that you might be recommended for a dental crown at Sensational Smiles. They include:

  • A tooth that is decayed or damaged beyond what a filling can repair
  • An old restoration that has failed or fallen out
  • A tooth has been weakened from Root Canal Therapy
  • There are visible cracks or fractures in your tooth

The process for getting a crown requires two appointments. At your first appointment Dr. Mary-Stuart Gallian will prepare your tooth for your crown by reducing the natural size of the tooth to accommodate the dental crown. A temporary crown is fabricated to protect the tooth and you will leave the office wearing your temporary crown that will help you get used to the feeling and appearance your new tooth.  An impression image is taken and then sent digitally to our dental lab, where your custom crown is created. 

At your second appointment Dr. Mary-Stuart Gallian will deliver your customized dental crown, verifying fit, color, and bite.  Once you approve the crown it will be permanently placed using a long-term sealing cement.  That crown stays in your mouth and can be brushed and flossed like a regular tooth.  With proper care, your crown can last an average of fifteen years or longer.

For more information or to request an appointment, contact Sensational Smiles.

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