| Crowns |
Protect and keep badly decayed or fractured teeth.
The Problem:
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Badly decayed teeth
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Fractured teeth
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Need to protect and strengthen teeth
The Solution:
A crown (often called a cap) covers the tooth and restores it to its original shape and size. Decay is removed and cleaned from the tooth and a highly accurate impression or mold is made of the prepared surface. This mold is used to create a model of the tooth which is then sent to a special laboratory that will create a gold or porcelain (tooth colored) crown. The crown is then cemented onto the prepared surface of the tooth.
Advantages:
Crowns are incredibly strong. This protects and strengthens the remaining tooth structure. In the hands of a skilled dentist, a crown will fit almost perfectly onto the prepared surface of the tooth, reducing the size of the seam between the crown and the tooth. This helps keep decay from eventually occurring under the crown.
Crowns should be placed before the tooth is so decayed that it may fracture. This can often help prevent the expense of root canal therapy in the future. It can also prevent the possibility that a fractured tooth may need to be removed, requiring the expense of a bridge or implant to replace the missing tooth.
Disadvantages:
Crowns are excellent restorations and have few disadvantages. They are highly durable, but they will eventually need to be re-cemented or replaced due to normal wear.
Occasionally, a tooth may still need root canal therapy after being crowned. However, this indicates that the interior of the tooth was already sick (infected) and would have eventually needed root canal therapy anyway.
Alternatives:
In the event that a tooth is so decayed or fractured that it needs to be removed, the best alternatives to a crown are bridges and implants that replace the missing tooth.
Inlays & Onlays |
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An excellent way to restore teeth with small to moderate decay
The Problem:
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Any level of decay on a portion of any tooth
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Need for a long-term, durable restoration
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Desire to limit the amount of healthy tooth structure removed
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Need to strengthen and reinforce tooth
The Solution:
Decay is removed and cleaned from the tooth and a highly accurate impression or mold is made of the prepared surface. This mold is used to create a model of the tooth which is then sent to a special laboratory that will create a gold or milled in office for a porcelain (tooth colored) restoration called an inlay or onlay. The inlay or onlay is then cemented into the prepared surface of the tooth.
An inlay covers only one or two surfaces of the tooth and is used to restore a small amount of decay. An onlay actually covers one or more cusps (the chewing surface of the tooth.)
Advantages:
Inlays and onlays are incredibly strong.. This protects the tooth from fracturing and actually strengthens the tooth. In addition, inlays and onlays fit almost perfectly into the prepared surface of the tooth, reducing the size of the seam between the restoration and the tooth. This helps keep decay from eventually occurring under the restoration.
Inlays and onlays require the removal of only decayed areas of the tooth, leaving more healthy tooth structure intact. This can help prevent the expense of root canal therapy in the future.
Disadvantages:
Due to the fact that they are crafted in a laboratory, inlays and onlays require a greater initial investment than regular fillings. However, in the long run, inlays and onlays are a better investment than fillings due to their extremely long life and highly accurate fit. Gold inlays and onlays generally have a greater long term durability than porcelain inlays and onlays.
Alternatives:
In cases of extensive decay, crowns are the only alternative.
123 Albany Ave. SE
Orange City, IA 51041
dental@joinerdentistry.com
(712) 737-3521 | (712) 737-4891 fax
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RESTORATIONS
Composite (White) Fillings
Crowns, Inlays & Onlays
Root Canal Therapy
Bridges & Implants
Dentures
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CHILDRENS
DENTISTRY
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CLEANINGS & PREVENTION
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PERIODONTAL DISEASE
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COSMETIC DENTISTRY
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SEDATION & SURGERY
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