Our dentists, Dr. Jason Packard and Dr. Art Boss at Boss Dental Care in Corpus Christi are experienced in fixing teeth with porcelain dental crowns. The porcelain dental crowns at Boss Dental Care are not only made to fit your teeth but are custom designed for each patient as well.

All-porcelain crowns are a better cosmetic option when too much tooth structure is missing due to decay, root canals, fractures, or previous fillings.

Unlike the veneer, the crown covers the entire circumference of the tooth giving it maximum strength and structural integrity. By using crowns made entirely of porcelain, we can achieve maximum esthetics and lifelike qualities such as translucency.

You need a crown if your tooth has been damaged to the point where you can no longer bite or chew the way that you should be able to. You may also need a crown if your tooth has suffered too much damage for just a filling to work. You might need a crown if your tooth has been damaged in such a way that it has become unsightly and you no longer feel confident smiling the way you once did.

There are different reasons for opting for dental crowns such as having cracked or broken teeth, discolored teeth or cosmetic reasons. The good news is that our dentists at Boss Dental Care in Corpus Christi recommend porcelain dental crowns as the best treatment option in restorative dentistry. This is because it is matched with the natural color of your teeth and is also suitable for people who have metal allergies. Also, porcelain crowns can be used for back and front teeth.

There are times when the tooth is too far gone to save. If there is not enough tooth structure above the bone, the crack goes below the bone, or the decay is down the root, a crown might not work long term. In these cases, it might be better to extract and replace the tooth. Through a thorough examination, our dentists Dr. Boss and Dr. Packard, will be able to let you know if a crown is the best option for you or not.

If you don't get a crown, then the answer is indisputably, yes. If you are a candidate for a crown though and you are simply waiting to have one installed, the answer is no. Your dentist will provide you with a temporary crown made out of a tooth-colored plastic so that you will be able to eat and smile the same way you would if you already had a fully functional tooth.

Most crowns are made of metal or porcelain or a combination of both. Solid metal crowns have been around the longest. They are the strongest, but not the prettiest. To have a more natural looking crown, porcelain was layered on top of the metal crown. This porcelain fused to metal crowns allowed a patient to have a crown that looked tooth colored instead of gold or silver. One problem with porcelain fused to metal crowns is that they can look unnaturally opaque because a natural tooth is translucent. All porcelain crowns allow the natural translucency and can be a much more esthetic solution. Another problem with porcelain fused to metal crowns is that the porcelain can chip off the metal. Modern ceramics in all porcelain crowns allow us to make the entire crown out of one monolithic material (without any layering) making it highly resistant to chipping or breaking. Each type of material has its strengths and indications. Dr. Boss or Dr. Packard will be able to tell you which material would work best in your situation to give the maximum strength and esthetics.

Crowns, properly cared for, will last a very long time. You still should make sure that you brush and floss every day and visit your dental office for regular check-ups and cleanings. Even though your crowns will not decay, you can still get a cavity at the junction where the crown ends and the tooth root begins. If a crown gets a cavity in this area, it will need to be replaced. Crowned teeth, like natural teeth, can be vulnerable to gum disease if regular oral hygiene is not maintained. If gum disease takes hold, your teeth (natural and crowned) can be compromised and could even fail.

It is impossible. Crowns are not made from living material and they are impervious to decay. You can, however, get a cavity in the underlying tooth. Usually, it occurs down around the gum line. When that happens, your crown can fail. That is why it is so important to take care of your teeth even after your crowns are installed.

First, the affected tooth has to be cleaned, the decay removed and the tooth reshaped using a small drill. By reshaping the tooth, the dentist will be able to design a crown for you that completely fits the tooth. After reshaping, the dentist will take an impression of your teeth using dental wax. This impression is then sent to the dental laboratory where it serves as a blueprint for your new dental crown.

Until it's ready, the dentist will give you a temporary crown to wear for few weeks. On your second visit, the dentist will fit your new dental crown. The dentist will then check its alignment and whether it fits on your tooth. After this, the dentist will fix the crown with dental cement. When you leave our premises, you will have a confident, bright and beautiful smile.

Our dentists Dr. Jason Packard and Dr. Art Boss at Boss Dental Care recommend the following to maintain the life of your dental crowns: