How are dental crowns used to restore a tooth?
Since a dental crown cemented into place essentially becomes the new outer surface of the tooth it is easy to imagine how the placement of a crown can restore a tooth to its original shape. Dental crowns are often made for teeth that have worn excessively, have broken, or else have had large portions destroyed by tooth decay. Conceivably the placement of a dental filling could, as an alternative, be used as a means to restore a tooth’s shape. Dental crowns however offer a big advantage to your dentist over dental fillings by way of the fact that they are fabricated “away from your mouth”. By this we simply mean that dental crowns are fabricated in a dental laboratory (by a dental technician who uses plaster molds your teeth made by your dentist). Dental fillings, in comparison, are created “in your mouth” by way of your dentist placing the filling material directly upon your tooth. When a dental crown is made the dental laboratory technician can visualize and examine all aspects of you
