Lifespan of Dental Crowns

Studio City, Burbank, North Hollywood

When tooth enamel becomes damaged by decay, trauma, aging or staining, the cosmetic dentists at Smiles By Sands in Studio City, California can correct the damage with a dental crown. A crown restores a tooth's structural integrity by enclosing it entirely and providing new surfaces on all sides.

The average lifespan of a dental crown is about ten years, but excellent oral care and regularly scheduled dental visits can help your crown last much longer, perhaps for life. The skill of the lab technician, the type of material used and the dentist's skill and experience in creating an appropriate treatment plan and placing the crown all factor in to the lifespan of a dental crown.

The Lava™ Crown

At Smiles By Sands, we prefer to use the all-porcelain Lava™ Crown, a highly durable and aesthetically pleasing restoration that offers perfect shade matching. Some dentists will not use all-porcelain crowns for restoring front teeth, because the technique requires great skill not generally taught in dental school.

All porcelain crowns are highly translucent, and underlying teeth may influence the color of the crowns. Additionally, many dentists are not skilled in the color matching process or the sophisticated bonding techniques required for proper placement of Lava crowns. Dr. Jamie Sands and Dr. Jason Sands have the training, skill and experience to ensure your Lava crowns look beautiful and serve you for many years.

The Dental Crown Procedure

The first step in placing a dental crown is removal of any tooth decay, bacteria and bacterial debris. The tooth is then shaped to receive the crown. Because the crown must be thick enough to endure chewing forces, the natural tooth is reduced if necessary to make room for the crown's thickness.

The dentist then takes an impression of your tooth, fitting it with a temporary crown while you wait for the lab to create your permanent one. When it arrives, it will fit perfectly and look almost exactly like your natural tooth. The permanent crown is cemented into place and the tooth's strength, function and beauty are restored.

To learn more about dental crowns, or to schedule a free consultation, please contact Smiles By Sands in Studio City, California.