Cosmetic Crowns

When a tooth is badly broken or there is more filling than tooth a crown may be needed to restore the tooth to "original condition."  Years ago crowns were only made of gold.  Technology allowed the use of porcelain baked over gold to be used beginning in the 60s.  Later, porcelain was baked over "space-aged" metals with little or no gold content.  Today we can do all porcelain crowns without ANY metal that are bonded onto the tooth and offer beauty as well as strength.  The porcelain is completely lifelike, with high translucency

The Procedure - Using 2 Appointments

We use this technique routinely when we want a cosmetic preview to allow the patient time to evaluate how their smile will look.    At the first visit the teeth are shaped to be ideal foundations for the crowns.   Impressions are then made and ideal temporary crowns are put over the teeth. The "temporaries" look wonderful - always a major improvement that you will be happy about! 

Because  the temporaries look like the final crowns, the few weeks are a period  to decide on any fine tuning  that we want to make.  This is  an opportunity to drive your smile around the block and be sure it is exactly what you want.  Any changes can be made on the temporaries.  When we are sure you are happy with your new look, we complete the porcelain crowns.  The final crowns are exactly the shade, length and shape of the temporaries.  This assures that you will be totally proud of your new smile!
 

Also, the all porcelain bonded crowns can be used to replace the porcelain baked to metal crowns when the dark line shows at the gum line.  There will be no dark line with all porcelain just as there is no line with all porcelain veneers.

The Procedure - Using 1 Appointment

All porcelain crowns can now be done while you wait using the new CEREC technology.  Computerized photography and 3D software allow us to utilize a sophisticated CAD/CAM system that literally creates a permanent porcelain crown in minutes.  We use this technique routinely when we do not need a cosmetic preview.

This is an example of a one appointment cosmetic crown replacing an old porcelain to metal crown on an upper first molar.  Notice how natural it appears.

Here we see three teeth that just had crowns prepared and bonded on in one visit using the CEREC® Computer CAD/CAM system.  The patient requested a lighter shade since she will be bleaching her front teeth. 

Copyright © 2008 The South Texas Center for Cosmetic Dentistry provides information about Cosmetic Dentistry in San Antonio, Texas Texas.

Disclaimer: The South Texas Center for Cosmetic Dentistry site only provides information about porcelain veneers, porcelain crowns, neuromuscular dentistry, , and Cosmetic Makeovers and is not meant to be taken as dental advice.