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Give Your Damaged Tooth a Second Chance

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Give Your Damaged Tooth a Second Chance

You know your tooth should feel and look better, too. Maybe it's chipped or it has undergone a root canal procedure. Why not ask your dental crownsdentist, Dr. Carol Cunningham, at Gentle Art of Dentistry for help? Trust her years of experience in premiere restorative dentistry. She may offer you a great option to restore your tooth--a dental crown.

Give your tooth a second chance

Plenty of life's situations compromise the health of a tooth--trauma from a fall, deep decay, infection and even congenital defect. Your first impulse may be to pull the tooth and replace it. However, Dr. Cunningham and her professional colleagues would rather spare the tooth to avoid smile gaps that affect oral function and personal appearance.

Visual inspection, X-rays and expertise tell your dentist if a tooth can be crowned. What's a dental crown? it's a tooth-shaped restoration that covers remaining healthy tooth structure. Made according to oral impressions, a crown can protect and strengthen a failing tooth, preserving it for years.

The crown procedure

It's simple and comfortable. Dr. Cunningham uses local anesthetic to make the area around the tooth numb. She then prepares and shapes the remaining structure to accept the crown and also takes oral impressions. Oral impressions help the dental lab accurately craft the crown.

Patients wear a temporary cap while they wait for the permanent restoration to return from the lab. When it's ready, Dr. Cunningham removes the temporary cap and bonds on the new crown. Most crowns are so accurately crafted that they match in color, fit and bite right away with little to no adjustment.

The lifespan of a crown

Dental crowns made of porcelain or porcelain fused to metal in Decatur last about a decade or more. Dr. Cunningham asks her patients to floss around their restorations daily and also to brush twice a day according to guidelines set by the American Dental Association.

She also asks patients to come to Gentle Art of Dentisry twice yearly for cleanings and check-ups. Being gentle with a crown helps it last, too. For example, wear a bite guard if you grind your teeth, and avoid chewing extra-hard foods such as peanut brittle, taffy and ice cubes.

A final word...

Crowns have been around since the early twentieth century. Their application has widened over the years to include restoration of dental implants and supporting fixed bridgework. Some crowns even may be crafted in one dental visit.

So if you'd like to keep that worrisome tooth, look into a dental crown from Decatur, IL dentist, Dr. Carol Cunningham. Call the office today for your convenient appointment: (217) 422-7448.