Your smile has always been your best feature, which is why you were always so bothered by that one “bad” tooth in the back of your mouth. No matter how much you brushed and flossed, nothing seemed to help, and eventually what started out as a cavity became a painful oral infection that required treatment from your dentist in Orlando. But rather than being apprehensive about treatment, you were thankful that Dr. Ziyad Maali at Sand Lake Family Dental placed a dental crown to restore your original tooth, which immediately ended your discomfort. Now that you’re somewhat familiar with dental crowns in Orlando, you want to make sure you take proper care of your new tooth to get the most out of your restorative treatment – and luckily for you, Dr. Maali shares his helpful hints in this post.
WHAT IS A DENTAL CROWN?
Before we explain how to care for your crown, let’s define what they actually are. Dental crowns are tooth-shaped “caps” that are placed over an existing tooth to accomplish the following:
- Protecting a weak tooth from breaking
- Holding a broken tooth together
- Repairing a tooth that’s worn down significantly
- Supporting a tooth with a large filling
- Correcting discolored or misshapen teeth
- Making cosmetic modifications
- Covering a tooth that has undergone root canal therapy
- Covering a dental implant
Crowns are remarkably durable and look incredibly realistic – these are usually made of porcelain for teeth that are easily visible or of a strong metal-porcelain combination for teeth in the back of your mouth. Regardless of what material is used, Dr. Maali’s crowns provide Life-Like Results.
HOW SHOULD I CARE FOR MY DENTAL CROWN?
With proper care, dental crowns generally last anywhere from five to fifteen years – although, some patients have been able to maintain a perfectly functioning and aesthetically pleasing restoration for up to 30 years. There are many things you can do to extend the lifespan of your dental crown, including:
- Brush and floss your dental crown just like you would your natural teeth: twice daily for two minutes each time.
- When you floss, be sure to slowly slide the floss around the crown – do not snap or jerk the floss out from between your tooth and crown, since this can make your restoration lose.
- Avoid chewing gum, raisins, taffy, Starburst candies, and sticky caramels that can latch on to the restoration and compromise its placement.
- DO NOT CHEW ICE – the fluctuating temperature can compromise your crown and even destroy your restoration.
- Avoid chewing on pens, pencils, and other objects that aren’t made for mouths – and never use your teeth or crown to act as a substitute for scissors.
- See your dentist frequently for regular dental care and reach out to us right away if the placement of your crown seems to change or your bite feels different or off in any way.
If you follow these suggestions, your crown can last for decades! So, now that you know how to get the most out of your dental crown, Schedule Your Appointment with Sand Lake Family Dentistry to restore your smile to its former glory!
