When your family dentist in Ocean Springs tells you that you need a crown on a tooth, what do you immediately think of? If you are like a lot of patients, you may have some misconceptions about dental crowns. Dr. Tyler McCabe, D.M.D., of McCabe Dental, has placed many crowns on a tooth in Ocean Springs. He can tell you what is real and what is fake.
Crowns Break Easily
It depends on the crown. Resin crowns with no reinforcement cap underneath can wear out and break sooner than any other type of crown. A temporary crown that typically only lasts for a week or so will break under certain circumstances.
Your best bet is a mix of porcelain and resin over a metal reinforcement cap. This type of crown on the tooth in Ocean Springs is the most durable and it will last the longest. Ask your family dentist in Ocean Springs what kinds of crowns he or she offers.
You Can Whiten Crowns
Another misconception about dental crowns is that you can whiten them. You cannot. Your dentist will match the dental crown color to the teeth on either side of it. Whatever your teeth are prior to placing the crown is the color of the crown.
If you want a really white crown, ask the dentist to whiten your teeth prior to placing the crown. This will ensure that the crown is as white as the rest of your teeth. Because it can't be whitened by whitening agents, it remains whatever the initial color it is.
You Can Get Cavities with a Crown
This is a misleading misconception. The crown itself can't get a cavity because it isn't a real tooth. However, the tooth nub under the crown is still a living tooth. Decay of the tooth nub below the gumline is possible. Regular dental visits will catch any decay under the crown before it becomes a problem.
You Don't Have to Floss a Crowned Tooth
Actually, yes, you do. The tooth nub is still in the gums. It can still develop decay and disease. Flossing around the crown into the gumline removes anything that could cause the tooth nub to decay or become diseased.
The Best Dental Crowns Last Forever
Sadly, this isn't the case. If you spend the most money on the best dental crown, and if your oral hygiene is excellent, you might get the crown to last about twenty years. Other types of crowns or poor oral hygiene might mean that you have to replace a crown a lot sooner.
Make your choice in dental crowns a good one, and you might not have to replace the crown(s) for a long time. You will still have to replace it, but not as soon as five or ten years.
Placing a Crown on Tooth in Ocean Springs
The process usually takes an initial two hours to complete. Keep that in mind when you call McCabe Dental in Ocean Springs to schedule an appointment to have your tooth crowned. You may need an initial appointment if you are not already a patient at McCabe Dental, so call today.