Indications for Full Coverage Crowns
Full coverage dental crowns are a popular method for treating various dental issues, providing a reliable, durable way to restore and protect damaged or vulnerable teeth. These dental prosthetics encase the entire tooth above the gumline, functioning much like the enamel functions in a healthy tooth: defending the sensitive inner layers of a tooth; providing structure and luminousness; and protecting against sensitivity, pain, damage, and infection. A full coverage dental crown ensures a tooth’s continued function after invasive treatments like root canals and large fillings, protecting the tooth and providing a stable, sturdy surface for biting and chewing. Full coverage crowns can also be used to conceal cosmetic issues like discoloration or misshapen teeth, and they can help stabilize and repair broken teeth while also restoring their appearance. Indications for full coverage crowns include extensive tooth decay, substantial dental fillings, root canal treatments, cosmetic or aesthetic restoration, realignment of the teeth, and stabilization and protection of cracked or fractured teeth.
Crowns can be used to treat cosmetic issues, including discoloration, covering visible fillings, and hiding gaps or misshapen teeth. They can also correct alignment or bite issues, particularly when these are caused by excessive wear on the teeth; for example, a dental crown can restore the structure of a tooth’s edges while protecting these edges teeth from further wear while correcting the bite and alignment. Because there are many material options for full coverage crowns, patients can choose crowns that match the natural teeth, or they can choose crowns made of sturdy metals that enhance the biting surfaces of the rear teeth; in some cases, patients may also choose metals like gold for their visible crowns, making a fashion statement while protecting and restoring the tooth.
One of the most common uses of full coverage crowns is to protect a tooth following a root canal, though crowns aren’t required after every root canal procedure. A root canal treatment removes infection and bacteria from inside a tooth’s root while protecting the tooth from future infection. Infection can enter a tooth’s root because of an extensive cavity, or if the tooth is broken or damaged by impact or trauma; when the dental pulp becomes inflamed, the results are intensely painful and increase the risk of systemic infection. The goal of root canal treatment is to preserve the natural tooth and eliminate infection, but the treatment itself can weaken the structure of the tooth; placing a full coverage crown after a root canal can help restore the strength and function of the tooth while shielding it from further damage.
While minor dental cracks may not affect the strength or function of the teeth, some larger cracks could increase pain or sensitivity in the teeth, particularly while chewing. It’s not uncommon for teeth that have undergone previous root canal treatments to develop larger cracks, and full coverage crowns can help protect the tooth’s underlying layers, eliminating pain and sensitivity while preventing dental cracks and fractures from getting worse. Crowns can also help maintain the structure of teeth that have very large fillings, holding the natural tooth structure in place around the filling and improving the function and appearance of the tooth.
