How Long Do Dental Crowns Last?
As a treatment that is designed to help preserve a person’s natural teeth, dental crowns valparaiso indiana must help prolong the lifetime of the teeth they cover. While it is impossible to determine with absolute accuracy the possible lifetime of a dental crown, varying factors will help you decide how long your dental crowns will last. It is best to carefully consider the factors that contribute to the lifetime of a crown before deciding to proceed with a crown-installation procedure. In general, a crown should be expected to last anywhere from 10 to 30 years. While that may seem like a broad estimate, all crowns are different. Some may, in fact, last a lifetime, while others are more prone to cracking earlier. Your dentist can provide guidelines to help you determine what crown is the best choice for you. Additionally, dental insurance companies often pay for crowns to be replaced after 5 to 8 years, which may help make a crown a practical choice for you.
The current condition of the tooth you plan to crown can affect the life expectancy of the crown, so it is important to ask your dentist about reasonable expectations. Some teeth can’t reasonably be expected to adhere to crowns for a lengthy period of time, and you may find that your crown feels loose shortly after it is placed. In this case, you may want to discuss alternative treatment, like a bridge or a dental implant. Sometimes, if a crown isn’t properly fitted, it may come loose shortly after it is placed. If this has happened to you, talk to your dentist to ensure that they are using a reputable laboratory; the lab technician’s work is just as important as the dentist’s when it comes to ensuring a good fit.
Even when your crown is fitted and made properly, certain factors still contribute to the life of the crown. First, you must maintain proper oral hygiene. Even with a crown, the natural tooth inside the crown is still susceptible to decay if you don’t properly attend to oral hygiene. Second, it is important to avoid habits like chewing ice or hard foods, which can cause a crown to break prematurely. Additionally, habits like grinding or clenching can damage crowns. If you grind your teeth while sleeping, it is advisable to wear a protective mouth guard when you sleep, to protect both crowns and healthy teeth. Finally, materials used to make crowns contribute to both their longevity and their appearance. Porcelain may be cosmetically preferable, as it resembles real teeth, but it is less durable than dental alloys. Dental alloys, however, don’t fulfill the same cosmetic needs as porcelain, as they don’t resemble real teeth. Crowning a tooth remains the best way to restore a tooth, and can be used to hold together a broken tooth or to preserve a tooth after a procedure like a root canal. Considering all factors, talk to your dentist about what material and procedure may be best for you.
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