3 Functions of a Porcelain Crown

Porcelain crowns are prosthetic dental applications that are used to cover a tooth or a dental implant. Although there are many different crown materials, such as stainless steel, gold and resin, the translucency of porcelain makes its appearance most comparable to tooth enamel.

Still, porcelain crowns do more than beautify your smile. These crowns, which are usually fashioned in a laboratory if they are not designed through CAD/ CAM technology, offer protective properties that are used in different restorative dental applications. Here are a few functions other than beautification for which porcelain crowns are used:

Stabilization

Porcelain crowns are often used to stabilize dental bridges. A traditional dental bridge is a tooth replacement application. It is made from two crowns separated by a false tooth in the middle. The crowns are placed over the two teeth that border the gap left by the missing tooth. They stabilize the bridge and keep the false tooth flush with the gums to help prevent food particles or debris from becoming trapped beneath the appliance.

Structural Integrity

The structure of a tooth can be compromised by a restorative treatment such as root canal. During a root canal, the soft living material inside the tooth, which is called the pulp, is removed. The hollow tooth is sanitized and filled with dental composite material. However, the tooth's ability to endure the stress of biting and chewing may be lessened. Covering the tooth with a porcelain crown protects and reinforces the tooth to restore its structural integrity.  

Restoration of Chewing Ability

A missing tooth can be replaced using a dental implant. The dental implant, which is fashioned to restore all of the functionality of a natural tooth, is made of three different components: the screw, the abutment and the crown.

The screw, which is made of titanium because of the metal's nonreactive nature, is surgically inserted into the jawbone. After a period of healing during which the screw fuses with the jawbone, an abutment is applied to connect a crown to the implant screw.

Without the dental crown, the chewing capabilities would not be restored. The installation of a prosthetic tooth root is not enough. Although the root offers stability, the crown is the portion of tooth that is displayed in the mouth and that comes in contact with the patient's food.

There are multiple reasons that a dentist may prescribe a porcelain crown. If you have questions about how a porcelain crown could be used to restore your teeth, consult with a dentist in your area, such as Sarah M. Lynch DMD.