Understanding Tooth Crown Preparation: A Step-by-Step Guide

Dentists place porcelain crowns over fractured, decayed and discolored teeth. Crowns not only improve the appearance of your teeth, but also cover chipped or sensitive teeth. Your dentist may also recommend crowns if you have had a root canal or wear a bridge. Getting a crown takes two appointments. During the first one, the dentist prepares the tooth and makes a mold of the tooth for the crown. The dentist will grind down your tooth with a bur to prepare it for the crown and then make an impression of the tooth and the area surrounding it. The dentist then sends the impressions to a lab where the crown will be made. He will put a temporary crown on your tooth until the second visit, when he will place the permanent porcelain crown on the tooth.

Instructions

• 1

  Do not eat anything for a few hours after the temporary crown is put on, since you will be numb from anesthesia for up to four hours following the appointment.

• 2

  Brush and floss your teeth regularly between the appointments. Your gum tissue must remain healthy for the dentist to successfully place the crown. Take over-the-counter painkillers if you experience pain following the first appointment.

• 3

  Eat slowly, taking care not to dislodge the temporary crown. If the crown comes off, carefully put it back on and add a dab of petroleum jelly to help it stay in place.