Modern dentistry offers various options for improving teeth appearance and preventing tooth decay. One common solution is dental crowns, which involves placing a cap over a natural tooth or existing dental implant. This helps preserve the tooth and the jaw structure to prevent further damage. Crowns are typically made of hard materials like porcelain or ceramic to match the natural colour of teeth. Click here to find out the types of dental crowns and their costs.
Whether getting a dental crown is worthwhile depends on your overall oral health and the severity of the issue you want to address. Today, we will explore the key advantages and disadvantages of getting dental crowns. By the time you’re done reading, you should be able to tell whether they’re worth your money or not.
Advantages of Dental Crowns:
1. Restoring Cracked or Broken Teeth: Dental crowns can repair and restore fractured teeth, protecting them from further damage and infection.
2. Correcting Tooth Discoloration: Dental crowns can be used to conceal severe tooth stains or discoloration that cannot be effectively treated with teeth whitening alone.
3. Replacing Large or Worn Out Fillings: When a cavity is too large for a filling, a dental crown can provide strength, durability, and a more natural appearance.
4. Protecting Weakened Teeth: Dental crowns cover the entire visible surface of a weakened tooth, distributing biting and chewing forces evenly and reducing the risk of additional damage.
5. Covering Dental Implants: Dental crowns are commonly used to cover dental implants, but they can also replace decayed or damaged parts of a tooth that cannot be saved, improving bite functionality and overall dental health.
6. Improving Tooth Appearance: Dental crowns can enhance the appearance of misshapen teeth, chips, cracks, and fractures, serving both restorative and cosmetic purposes.
7. Providing Comfort: Well-placed dental crowns should feel natural and comfortable, blending seamlessly with your other teeth.
8. Longevity: Dental crowns are durable and can withstand the forces of chewing and grinding. With proper oral care and regular dental check-ups, they can last up to 15 years.
Disadvantages of Dental Crowns:
1. Potential Need for Additional Repairs: While dental crowns are strong, they can still fracture or deteriorate over time, especially if subjected to excessive force or wear and tear.
2. Sensitivity and Discomfort: After getting a dental crown, patients may experience temporary sensitivity to hot and cold foods, discomfort while eating, and a tingling sensation. However, these usually diminish with time.
3. Risk of Nerve Damage: Placing a dental crown on a tooth with existing nerves can compress them, leading to inflammation and potential injury. Additionally, old fillings beneath the crown may harbour bacteria, causing nerve infections.
4. Risk of Infection: Bacteria trapped beneath a dental crown can cause an infection, resulting in severe pain. Prompt treatment is necessary if symptoms like sharp pain, swelling, redness, or fever occur. Even though your teeth are under dental crowns, they can still rot and decay due to harmful bacteria, which can cause cavities over time. It is therefore vital to ensure that you practice good oral hygiene if you have dental crowns.
5. Loosening of Crown: Teeth clenching or grinding, cavities, or trauma can loosen a dental crown. Cavities can weaken the tooth structure, making the crown more susceptible to loosening.
6. Allergic Reactions: Sometimes, people may be allergic to the materials used to make certain dental crowns, which could then trigger an allergic reaction.
7. Cost: Compared to other tooth restoration procedures, dental crowns are relatively more expensive. If you have a tight budget, you may want to go for a less expensive alternative. However, not all types of dental crowns cost the same; the cost varies based on the complexity of the procedure and the type of material used. Such materials include metal, composite resins, and porcelain. Porcelain crowns are generally more expensive than gold crowns.
Weighing the Pros and Cons
In order to know whether dental crowns are the best treatment for your teeth, you should weigh the disadvantages and advantages, given your specific dental needs and the peculiarity of your preferences. Some patients don’t mind living with some of its disadvantages, but they may be a big deal for you.
You should also know that when replacing a missing tooth located between healthy teeth, a bridge with crowns is more stable compared to removable partial dentures. However, dental implants are generally considered a superior choice if the patient can afford them. Implants don’t affect the adjacent teeth and have a lower risk of infection under the bridge. Therefore, if a patient can afford it, a dental implant may be the preferable option. If they prefer a more affordable but still durable solution, dental crowns with a bridge might be the best choice.
Ultimately, the purpose of the procedure should be considered, and the most suitable course of action should be determined in the patient’s best interest.
Are Dental Crowns Worth It?
Dental crowns protect the teeth and improve facial aesthetics while boosting people’s self-esteem. Even if they have their disadvantages (as does everything that exists), they have several benefits and give you the beautiful, natural smile you desire. Understanding the advantages and disadvantages of dental crowns can help you make an informed decision. This is why we put this together for you. If you still have questions, or you’d like to get the procedure done, please reach out to us. You can simply book a consultation with us today; your satisfaction is ensured with us.
