A crown is a tooth-shaped cap that improves the strength and appearance of a damaged tooth.
Temporary crowns can be made in your family dentist’s office, whereas most permanent crowns are made in a dental laboratory.
Temporary crowns are utilized in several situations:
Typically, temporary crowns are made of an acrylic-based material or stainless steel which can be used as a temporary restoration until a permanent crown is constructed.
A temporary crown often covers the metal post of a tooth implant, while the tissue grafts to the metal post. When the jaw and gum are ready, then the temporary cap is removed and the permanent crown can be affixed to the metal post.
All-resin dental crowns
- These crowns are less expensive than other crown types.
- They are a good choice for those who may be allergic to metal, but they are not as durable as the stainless steel crowns.
- Durability is not important when the crown is a temporary cover while the permanent prosthetic tooth is being built.
- All-resin dental crowns tend to be more aesthetically pleasing on front teeth.
- Pre-constructed temporary resin caps for emergency use can be purchased from commercial outlets. These temporary resin caps are a short-term solution to cover an exposed nerve if you are out of town and can’t get back to your family dentist immediately.
Stainless steel dental crowns
- Often a pre-fabricated stainless steel crown is fitted over a primary tooth of a young child. The crown covers the entire tooth and protects it from further decay. When the primary tooth falls out, the crown comes out along with it. Allowing young children to drink sugary drinks, and particularly allowing children to fall asleep with bottles of soda, juice or other sugary liquid in their mouth, puts the child at risk of needing temporary stainless steel crowns to cap decaying primary teeth.
- Stainless steel dental crowns are often used on children’s teeth, even on the front teeth, because these crowns can be placed in just one or two appointments and are more cost-effective than custom-made crowns. Stainless steel dental crowns are also a little more durable than resin crowns, and since crowns placed on children’s primary teeth often remain in place for several years, rather than just a few months, stainless steel may be a better choice than a resin crown.
Distinctive Dentistry has a team of highly skilled, in-house technicians who create aesthetically pleasing crowns on-site in our dental laboratory.
Dr. Keith Phillips has over two decades of expertise creating crowns. He is one of only a few prosthodontists in Washington who are Board Certified, which requires successful completion of a series of rigorous exams. Dr. Phillips lectures nationally and internationally, has published extensively in textbook and professional journals, including the gold-standard reference “Implant Aesthetics.” Dr. Phillips is a former Associate Editor of the Journal of the American Dental Association, and is active in several professional organizations. Dr. Phillips is credentialed in IV Sedation Dentistry and is the first dentist in Washington to earn a Certified Dental Technician credential, specializing in Implants.
Distinctive Dentistry is located at 5615 Valley Ave. Tacoma, WA.