Creative Commons image by Partha Sehana.
If your dentist has told you that you need to have a crown placed on your tooth, you might feel nervous and unsure of what to expect. A crown is a piece of metal or porcelain (or both) that covers your natural tooth. It’s made to fit your bite, so if your natural tooth has a good shape, the crown will have the same shape. If your natural tooth is broken away or otherwise not in good shape, your dentist will build a new tooth for you based on the rest of your teeth in that area. Here is what you might expect from the crown prep appointment, which is usually done one or two week before your permanent crown is placed.
Impressions
Because your new crown will need to fit against the tooth opposing it, as well as in between the adjacent teeth, it’s important that good impressions be made. Depending on your dentist’s preferences, you might have full-mouth impressions (impressions of the full upper and lower arches) or impressions of just the affected side of your mouth. You’ll bite down into the impression material, which is soft, and within a minute or two, it will become rubbery and will hold the impressions of your teeth. Most people handle this well, but if you have a strong gag reflex, just let your dental assistant know. He or she may be able to use less material so you’re less likely to gag on it.
The Crown Prep Itself
In order for the crown to fit over the tooth, it will need to be prepared. Preparation entails making it resemble a peg, which the crown will fit on top of. You may or may not need a local anesthetic, depending on whether you have had a root canal in that tooth. Either way, you might have gel placed on your gum to keep it numbed while the dentist works close to the gumline. He or she will use a drill to carefully carve the tooth into the correct shape. You should not feel any pain during this procedure, but you will hear a lot of drilling noise.
More Impressions and a Temporary Crown
Another impression of just the tooth being worked on will be taken. This is so the crown will fit over the shape that your natural tooth has been drilled into. Your dentist will then make you a temporary crown, so you won’t have to walk around with no tooth in that area of your mouth.
When your new crown comes in, the dentist will just remove the temporary crown and place the new one, so it should be a quick appointment. Then you’ll be able to treat your new crown just like a regular tooth. Give our office a call if you have questions about your upcoming crown prep appointment.
