Houston cosmetic & general family dentist, Dr. Craig Mabrito, specializes in the placement of dental crowns, which are tooth shaped caps that cover the entire visible portion of a damaged, cracked, chipped or decayed tooth to preserve its strength, shape and appearance.


Dental Crowns

By Houston Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Craig Mabrito

 

Dental crowns are tooth shaped caps that cover the entire visible portion of a damaged, cracked, chipped, or decayed tooth to preserve its strength, shape and appearance.  Crowns are typically made of strong porcelain, metal, or a combination of the two materials.

How Dental Crowns Preserve Teeth

Strength:

The strength of a tooth is greatly affected by cracks, root canals, and fillings.  Once the original structure of the tooth is weakened due to a crack, or other dental work, the natural part of the tooth is more susceptible to further breaks, cracks, and chips.  Capping the tooth with a crown will act as a splint that will fortify the tooth and hold it together.

Shape:

Grinding your teeth or having an improper bite can cause excessive wear on your teeth.  Decay and chips can also affect the shape of your teeth.  In cases where there is extensive damage to the tooth, a crown can be placed over the tooth to restore its shape.

Appearance:

It is best to use a crown to improve the cosmetic appearance of the tooth when you also need to strengthen the tooth or restore the shape.  When a tooth is capped or crowned, a large portion of the natural tooth is filed down to fit the cap.  If you simply want to improve the look of your smile, but do not need to strengthen or shape your teeth, then talk with Dr. Mabrito about other cosmetic options such as tooth whitening, tooth bonding , or veneers.

The Dental Crown Procedure

If Dr. Mabrito determines a crown is the ideal solution to improve your smile and preserve the functionality of your tooth, then he will first prepare the tooth for the crown. To prepare the tooth, Dr. Mabrito may have to file down part of it so the natural part of the tooth remains healthy once it is crowned.  Next, an impression is taken of your tooth in order to make a crown that seamlessly matches the size of your other teeth. Color, texture, and translucency of surrounding teeth are all taken into account as well as selecting the appropriate cement to ensure the crown has a natural look.  While your crown is being made, you will be given a temporary cap to wear.  At your second visit, Dr. Mabrito will adhere the crown in place and make any corrections necessary so that the size and shape does not affect your bite or alignment. When complete you will walk out of the office with a beautiful smile.

For more information on dental crowns or to schedule an appointment, please contact Dr. Mabrito’s office at 713.528.0567 or fill out our on-line contact form.