If you’re missing a tooth or have one that’s ailing, you’ll need to get a restoration done. Missing teeth aren’t just aesthetically unappealing, they can have serious health problems. Missing teeth can cause plaque and bacteria to proliferate in your mouth, can cause your teeth to become crooked or overcrowded, and can lead to bone loss or receding gums. It’s not the sort of thing you can afford to ignore.
When you’re missing a tooth, you have two options: Get dental crowns or implants. The question is which one is right for you? At Dental Specialty Associates, we know the pros and cons of each procedure. If you want to know which one is right for you, read on.
Dental Crowns
A crown is a form of dental restoration which can completely cap or encircle a tooth. They’re also often used in conjunction with dental implants They’re usually needed when a cavity threatens to kill a tooth .They get bonded to the tooth using a dental cement. Crowns are made from all sorts of materials: metal, porcelain, gold or other strong and durable properties.
Pros
Minimal Surgery
Getting a crown is a much simpler procedure than getting a dental implant. It doesn’t require extensive and invasive surgery. It also doesn’t require a lengthy healing process.
Strong support
Crowns preserve the original tooth. They do so by retaining the natural root and supporting structures. Once you lose a tooth, the loss is permanent and can have serious effects on the rest of your mouth, causing potential gum recession and bone loss. With a crown in place, you won’t have to worry about any of these oral health concerns.
Just Like The Real Thing
It’s very difficult to tell the difference between a crown and a natural tooth. Thanks to advancements in ceramics, they can almost perfectly duplicate the appearance of a natural tooth.
Supports Other Restorations
Crowns can also act as supporting units for other types of dental restorations. Many kinds of dental implants use crowns as an integral part of the procedure. Crowns can also act as support for bridges and overdentures.
Cons
No Good For Lost Causes
Crowns are not a good option if the tooth is badly broken down. Crowns also need the root of the tooth, which is the part of the tooth below bone level, to be long enough to give retention for the crown. In cases of periodontal diseases where there is gum and bone loss around a tooth, the root of the tooth decreases. A crown needs a strong and long root to remain firmly in place.
Substance Removal
For a tooth to be able to accommodate a crown, several millimeters of tooth substance has to be removed all around it. This can be problematic if there isn’t enough material to remove. This can make it so the crown material isn’t thick enough, which will make for a brittle crown that can easily fracture. Brittle crowns are no joke: Even something as innocent as chewing could crack them!
To compensate for under-reduction of tooth substance, crowns can be made to be thicker beyond the size and shape of the natural tooth. This can lead to an unnatural look for the tooth, and the larger size of the crown could lead to an accumulation of plaque beneath it which could later lead to periodontal disease.
Dental Implants
An artificial tooth replacement, implants are made from titanium and are fused to the jawbone. They are composed of three parts: a fixture, which anchors the implant into your jawbone; the abutment, which links the fixture to the crown; and the crown, which mimics the appearance of the tooth it’s replacing. They’re usually your best option if you need to replace a missing tooth.
Pros
Natural Appearance
Implants are like crowns in that they both are subtle tooth restoration procedures. Implants are made to look unobtrusive. To the naked eye, they shouldn’t be able to tell the difference between a natural tooth and your dental implant.
Bite Strength
They also offer support to existing bone restoration procedures and technology. But unlike dental crowns, implants can improve your bite strength! They can help restore your jaw to its natural capacity and ability.
Durable
Crowns can get brittle and fracture. Implants ,on the other hand, are much, much stronger. They are built to last, and are made to adapt to and deal with any situation you could find yourself in. You don’t have to worry about biting down on a hard candy and feeling your implant crack loose.
Cons
Time And Cost
Implants are much, much more expensive than getting a crown. They also require a serious time commitment. You’ll have to do 1- 2 invasive surgeries and spend time recovering after each one, which could take a month or two.
It’s All About The Jaw
The procedure is only feasible if the condition of the jaw bone is favorable. The jaw bone needs to be strong enough to anchor the implant. It also needs to have a sufficient amount of width and bone height.
Infection
Implants can be subject to infection. These infections can cause peri-implantitis, an inflammatory process that affects the tissue around an implant by causing bone loss. They can also cause peri-implant mucositis. This is an inflammatory process that affects the mucosa or gums adjacent to an implant. If these infections settle in, this can eventually lead to implant failure.
Want to know more about dental crowns and implants? Our staff at Dental Specialty Associates would be happy to assist you. Give us a call at (602)-795-5995.
