Dental Questions: Can all teeth be saved with crowns?

Its easy to think of crowns as a save-all for cavities, cracked teeth and other dental disasters. Unfortunately, this is not the case. There are many situations where a crown will simply not improve the condition or longevity of a damaged tooth. The main benefit of crowns is that they restore strength to broken down teeth by creating a full coverage "cap" around the remaining structure. However, this means the tooth needs to have good gum and bone support along with some (minimal) amount of remaining tooth to hold on to. 

Firstly, a crown will do nothing to benefit a tooth with severe bone loss or gum disease. Splinting a tooth with periodontal disease to a healthy tooth may seem like a great way to stabilize roots and create a more sturdy anchor. However, research shows this is not the case and splinting teeth can actually create plaque traps that accelerate bone loss. In most instances, placing a crown on a tooth with poor bone support is ill advised and can further hinder its longevity in your mouth. 

In terms of restoring severe tooth decay or fractured teeth, crowns still have certain limitations. There needs to be a minimal amount of dental enamel and dentin above the gum line for the crown to be cemented upon. Procedures like root canals/posts, crown lengthening and orthodontics allow dentists to create more structure for the crown. However, there is a limit to how much can be done for a specific tooth. Generally speaking, teeth that are broken off at or below the gum line are usually impossible to save with a crown. If saving them is an option, it is almost always more economical and predictable to remove the tooth and replace it with an implant. 

Overall, crowns are an excellent way to recreate the bulk or body of a damaged tooth. Still, it is important to acknowledge their limitations. In some circumstances, removing the tooth in question and replacing it with a bridge or implant is the more favorable option. If you would like to know more about crowns, implants, bridges or other tooth replacement procedures, please give our office a call!

Lower Arch Reconstruction

Today's patient came to us with porcelain and metal crowns on all of their lower teeth. With time, these restorations had become chipped and worn, making it obvious that they were not natural teeth. Additionally, gum recession had revealed the dark metal collars around these crowns, creating an obvious transition from enamel to porcelain. Finally, porcelain and metal crowns are inherently opaque (do not transmit light) to block out the inner metal layer. This contrasts harshly with the natural translucency of dental enamel and makes the teeth look "old" or yellow. 

After considering the many options, Dr. Kari Ann Hong and the patient decided to replace the existing crowns with new Emax lithium disilicate restorations. Emax provides increased durability over porcelain and metal crowns with better esthetics and more design possibilities. The results speak for themselves! The new crowns have a much more natural shape and contouring, while the shade and translucency better matches natural enamel. Additionally, the increased wear resistance will help ensure these teeth for years to come. If you would like to know more about dental crowns, fillings and other cosmetic procedures, please give our office a call! 

Crown Lengthening

A quick overview of crown lengthening. Once the Decay is acessable, a permanent crown or filling can be placed. 

Crown lengthening is a dental procedure most often performed by a periodontist where an incremental amount of bone and tissue is removed from a tooth's gum line. This is most commonly used to reveal more tooth structure and facilitate the placement of a crown. If a tooth has deep decay or a fracture to the bone level, creating a good seal between tooth and crown is impossible. In order to save the tooth, the "crown" (portion of tooth above the gum line) has to be "lengthened," at the expense of the root. Crown lengthening is also performed on the anterior teeth for esthetic reasons. Uneven gum lines and "gummy" smiles can sometimes be fixed through this procedure. Many times, this must be followed up with crowns or veneers to create a cosmetic appearance. 

While crown lengthening allows us to save teeth that would otherwise need to be extracted, it is not without potential drawbacks. Lowering the gum and bone level on a tooth can compromise its long term stability in the jaw. By gaining length in the tooth crown, the roots become gradually shorter and less anchored in bone. This procedure can also negatively affect the adjacent teeth as well. The periodontist needs to create a natural bone contour, and will often need to adjust around the neighboring teeth to make a smooth transition. 

Often times, crown lengthening is only one of a few treatment options. Teeth can also be extruded using orthodontics to create more crown structure. Likewise, a tooth with a questionable longevity can be replaced with a implant in many scenarios. Only a comprehensive dental exam will reveal what can and needs to be done to save a tooth. To schedule an exam or find out about more dental treatment options, please give our office a call!

Helpful Infographic on Cracked Teeth

A cracked tooth can be anything from a minor inconvenience to a major annoyance. Many times, small cracks begin showing painful symptoms only after weeks or months of continuous pressure  and abuse. Our friends at the Spear Institute put together this helpful guide on what to do and what to expect when you have a cracked tooth. As with most things in dentistry, the key is early detection and intervention. The sooner we can work on repairing a dental problem, the more likely the tooth can be saved. Take a look!

Smile Repair Using Bonding and Emax Crown

Today's patient came to us with complaints of mismatched central incisors. The patient's right incisor had a large composite (tooth colored) filing that had become worn and stained over time. Their left incisor had a crown that was too light and opaque compared to the surrounding teeth. Both of these esthetic problems are very common, as teeth tend to age differently from the materials we use in dentistry. Composite fillings pick up stain and erode more quickly than enamel while crowns do not respond to color changes like surrounding teeth. The result is that restorations in the front of the mouth gradually become more obvious and less natural over time. 

Dr. Kari Ann Hong set out to repair this smile by placing a new filling on the left incisor and using an Emax Lithium Disilicate crown on the right. The new restorations add natural coloring, opacity and shape back to the patient's smile. In the before picture, the existing dental work is fairly obvious. The new crown and filling blend naturally and bring harmony back to this smile! If you would like to know more about crowns, fillings or other cosmetic procedures we perform at our office, please give us a call!

Case Presentation: Anterior Crowns

Everyone wants beautiful and uniform teeth, but can you create a smile too "perfect?" In these before pictures, notice how this patient's teeth are smooth, consistently colored and similar in shape. While these qualities sound good on paper, they add up to a less than natural looking smile. We replaced the older porcelain and metal crowns with brand new Emax lithium disilicate restorations. The incisors were lengthened to fill out the smile line and gentle variations were added to the fronts of the teeth. Additionally, the translucent nature of Emax reacts to ambient light similarly to natural teeth. These small changes better mimic real dental enamel, and thus create a more life-like smile. 

If you would like to know more about our cosmetic dental services, please contact our office. We pride ourselves in creating beautiful smiles customized to the individual patient's wants and needs. Schedule an exam today!

Dental Veneers in Thousand Oaks | Patient Jennifer Loves her New Smile!

Check out this new video testimonial from one of our very satisfied patients! Twenty years ago, Jennifer suffered from pain and headaches associated with stress on her temporomandibular joint (TMJ). In solving this, her previous dentist used dental crowns and veneers to improve the way her teeth came together and ease her TMJ pain. Although the procedure was successful, twenty years of wear combined with gum recession had affected the appearance and function of these restorations. 

While our main focus was replacing the crowns and veneers in respect to Jennifer's TMJ pain, we also wanted to improve upon cosmetics and tooth form. In doing this, Dr. Kari Ann Hong used Emax Lithium Disilicate restorations to add new life to Jennifer's smile. Emax is an incredibly versatile material that can be used to treat many dental conditions. For instance, some Emax veneers are barely a millimeter thick and yet are tough enough to withstand years of abuse. 

For Jennifer, the new crowns and veneers are absolutely transformative. The smile is an extremely important facial feature that immediately draws the eyes. A beautiful, white and symmetrical smile stands out and creates a dramatically more youthful look. If you would like to know more about dental crowns, veneers or TMJ pain, please contact our office at (805) 480-9820 or at staff@thousandoaksfamilydentistry.com

Dental Questions: Help- I Broke My Temporary Crown!

Anyone who has had a temporary crown break knows that they tend to come off at the least convenience times. After the initial shock and confusion wears off, you may be wondering what your next step is. Even if the crown falls out in one whole piece, do not try to put it back on the tooth and continue using it.  Although the crown seems small, it poses a serious choking risk particularly when sleeping or chewing. Additionally, don't try to glue the crown back together or recement it. This can result in damaging the underlying tooth structure in a way that ruins the fit of the permanent crown. 

Your best bet for fixing a broken or missing temporary crown is calling our office. If the crown can't be recemented, we will make a new one on the spot. We keep copies of all the temporary impressions we make until the final crown is delivered. This allows us to recreate temporaries on-demand and in short notice. Our office always tries to work these type of appointments in same-day or early the next day! If you have any further questions on the dental crown process, please give us a call or email. 

Dental Crowns In Thousand Oaks

Check out this new video testimonial from one of our very satisfied patients! Twenty years ago, Jennifer suffered from pain and headaches associated with stress on her temporomandibular joint (TMJ). In solving this, her previous dentist used dental crowns to improve the way her teeth came together and ease her TMJ pain. Although the procedure was successful, twenty years of wear combined with gum recession had affected the appearance and function of these restorations. 

Our main focus with this case was creating a long lasting solution that wouldn't bring back Jennifer's headaches and pain. We also wanted to give her a beautiful and natural smile she could be proud of. In doing this, Dr. Kari Ann Hong replaced twelve crowns on her upper arch and six crowns and six veneers on her lower. She used Emax lithium disilicate material instead of the previous porcelain and metal crowns to improve on esthetics and wear. The result is a spectacular smile that keeps Jennifer happy and healthy. For more information on dental crowns, dental veneers and TMJ pain, please email us at staff@thousandoaksfamilydentistry.com or call our office at (805) 480-9820.