Southtown Dental Group can rejuvenate the appearance of your smile, with affordable full porcelain crowns.
San Antonio Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Gary Guillory knows that the embarrassment of a broken smile can hurt your confidence levels when making new relationships, but he wants to make it clear that there is an effective cosmetic dentistry solution using porcelain crowns.
With over twenty-five years of experience working with patients to improve the appearance and function of their smile, you can rest assured that Dr. Guillory will do what it takes to make sure you are happy and able to smile confidently!
What Is a Dental Crown and When Might it Be Used
Dental crowns have a variety of uses and are commonly used in restorative dentistry. They are made out of porcelain and the coloring can be tinted to match your other teeth so they look completely natural. A crown covers the entire tooth surface all the way down to the gum line.
If you have a root canal which can affect the strength of the tooth, a crown is used after the procedure to keep the tooth strong and resistant to any further damage or breakage.
Crowns can also be used if a patient has a broken tooth. Before Dr. Guillory can place the crown, he first has to ensure that the ailing tooth is as healthy as it can be before the crown is placed on top of it. This would mean cleaning out any of the decayed or broken areas, so the tooth does not lose structural integrity later on. An impression of the tooth must be taken in order for the crown to fit perfectly.
After the tooth has been cleaned up, a temporary crown will be placed until the custom-formed permanent crown has been completed. Once the permanent one is complete, Dr. Guillory places it and make sure that everything fits correctly.
Crowns can only be placed when Dr. Guillory is unable to save the majority of the natural tooth, due to extensive damage or decay. By replacing the affected area, patients are saving the appearance of their smile and the overall function of their bite!
While there are different types of crowns, they all have the same purpose. A crown can only be used if the majority of the tooth is still in place. Examples of when a crown may be used include:
- Covering a tooth implant
- Protecting and covering a tooth with a large filling when not much of the tooth surface is remaining
- Protection of a weak tooth
- Holding a dental bridge in place
- Protection of a tooth after a root canal
- Restoration of a broken tooth
- Covering a discolored tooth for cosmetic reasons
In past years, crowns have been made out of varying materials such as gold alloys and porcelain fused to metal or porcelain pressed over metal. However, restorative dentistry has come a long way and Dr. Guillory uses full porcelain crowns. These are the most aesthetically pleasing and are a long-lasting replacement solution!
How are San Antonio Porcelain Crowns placed?
In order for Dr. Guillory and his San Antonio cosmetic dentistry staff to place the porcelain crowns on your teeth, they must first “shape” the existing tooth surface. This “shaping” process allows the dentist to remove damaged and discolored tooth and lets the new porcelain crown to sit comfortably on top of the natural tooth without negatively affecting your bite and or speech capability.
Dr. Guillory and his staff will always strive to maintain the natural structure of your tooth – so the new crowns look like your teeth – only perfectly white and perfectly shaped. They will also be perfectly straight.
If you are interested in learning more about our San Antonio Porcelain Crowns and full Mouth reconstruction, or another one of our fantastic San Antonio cosmetic dentistry procedures, please schedule an appointment online or via phone at: 210-227-0101 to speak with Dr. Guillory or a Southtown Dental Group dentistry professional.