Dental Crown Monrovia

Tooth decay can damage the structure and function of your tooth, especially if it isn’t treated immediately. A dental crown protects the sensitive part of the tooth by removing decay and replacing the natural tooth with a cap that resembles your natural tooth. Crowns are a step up from composite fillings, which can only provide so much reinforcement before there’s not enough tooth left.

What Is a Dental Crown?

A dental crown fits over the damaged tooth to protect it from decay. Some common reasons that patients need a dental crown are to:

• Support a tooth that has lost its structure.
• Add stability to either side of a dental bridge.
• Attach to a dental implant.
• Replace a filling if tooth decay has spread.

Our practice places crowns for Monrovia patients using digital imaging to detect the extent of damage to the tooth as well as Cariview, a small camera to evaluate the beginning of decay in your other teeth.

Different Types of Crowns

Dr. Q strives for results to be as natural as possible. She uses only zirconia and gold for crowns which are long-lasting and do not compromise safety. Other dentists still use silver, which is about 90% mercury and can further damage your teeth because they expand and contract as the temperature changes.

Placing a Dental Crown

After a consultation that involves an in-depth discussion about your dental health and potential treatment options, our friendly staff will set up an appointment for you to return. The first appointment will involve:

• Anesthesia to numb the treatment area.
• Taking an impression of your tooth to ensure the proper fit.
• Matching the shade of your crown to your natural teeth.
• Removing existing decay to prevent it from spreading.
• Placing the temporary crown while your permanent crown is made.

You will be able to eat normally with your temporary crown once the anesthesia wears off. The permanent crown typically takes one to two weeks to create, and you’ll need to come in for a follow-up appointment to switch out the temporary for the permanent.

Options for Sedation

Placing a crown can be uncomfortable, but it’s not painful. Dr. Q will use local anesthesia to numb the area, but for some Monrovia patients that is not enough to calm their nerves. To help you relax, our practice offers two sedation dentistry options:

• Nitrous oxide is inhaled through a mask placed over your nose and takes effect immediately. The flow of nitrous oxide and oxygen can be adjusted based on how you feel and the effects wear off five minutes after treatment.
• Oral sedation involves taking a pill an hour before your procedure. Once the pill has kicked in, you will be awake but may doze off occasionally. If you choose this option, you’ll need someone to drive you home after your crown is placed.

Sedation is an option that we offer to relieve dental anxiety, which we understand is very common in dental patients. We know that a visit to the dentist can be challenging for many Monrovia patients and we will do everything we can to make you feel comfortable and relaxed.