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Things You Need To Know About Dental Crown
Many people get dental crown for the purpose of strengthening the weak tooth or to replace a missing one. This crown is usually made of a dental material and it is fixed over an existing tooth or a dental implant.
Dental crowns are of four types based on the material they are made up of.
1. All ceramic
2. Porcelain fused to metal
3. Gold alloys
4. Base metal alloys
1. All ceramic
The ceramic-based crowns are usually made of porcelain. These crowns are great in terms of looks and functionality. When we talk about looks, these are the crowns which tend to blend with the natural teeth, making it hard to judge if you have got a crown.
2. Porcelain fused with metal
The crown, with the material consisting of porcelain fused with metal, is the ideal restoration option you can consider if you want your tooth to be stronger after getting restored. Thus, this crown can be even stronger as compared to an all-ceramic crown.
3. Gold alloys
Although it is called crown made of gold alloys, gold is not the only material used in the composition of this crown. It also contains copper and other metals so that it becomes strong enough to get hold of the structure of the tooth for which the crown is being prepared. This material is known for its biocompatibility with tissues of gums.
4. Base metal alloys
If you are looking for ultimate strength of the crown, you can pick the ones made of base metal alloys. These crowns are very durable and are highly resistant to corrosion. The procedure of fitting this crown first requires the least amount of healthy tooth structure removed. This material doesn’t damage the opposing teeth.
New technology used in dental crowns
The new technology used in creating dental crowns is known as CAD/CAM technology which means computer-aided design and manufacturing technology. With the help of this technology, dentists and prosthodontics find it pretty easy to draw precise 3D shape of the dental crown in computer. This drawing is done with the help of a 3D model of the patient’s mouth. This way, the 3D crown developed in computer gives precise demonstration of how it will look like after being fitted in place of the defected or missing tooth.
Reason you may need a dental crown
There can be a number of reasons your dentist may decide to give you a dental crown. The common ones include broken tooth, worn down tooth enamel, missing a tooth, need for tooth restoration after completion of a root canal procedure, and the requirement of covering a dental implant.
Toothpicks and Their Decline
Growing up, I was quite used to my dad and his dad carrying around toothpicks no matter where we went. If we were out at lunch, they’d automatically have some in their mouth right afterwards. If we went to the livestock auction, they’d have one in their mouth. If we ended up going to a movie and had popcorn, you’d be surprised to look over and not see them chewing on a toothpick. That’s how often I saw them using one out in public.
Whether it’s a thing of the past or simply better tools came out since (likely to-go flossers), toothpicks just aren’t as common as they used to be. And I find that interesting considering how modern medicine and dentistry has only found that cleaning your teeth and flossing them more can only be a good thing, not a bad one. So where did all the toothpicks go?
Perhaps it’s because restaurants don’t offer toothpicks nearly as often as they used to. Or because it was a craze during my parents and grandparents hayday. No matter which is the case, I just don’t see toothpicks around as often as I had when I was young, and it’s always interested me why.
You see, toothpicks are a great way to remove residual food from gaps in your teeth without seeming like you’re 1) picking at your teeth constantly in public which is often considered gross or rude and 2) going to pull your tooth out just trying to dislodge one tiny piece of popcorn.
And the thing is, toothpicks are quite discreet when you’re using them. In actuality, they almost hold a sense of “cool” or “classy” since they’re no longer as popular as they used to be. If you’re proficient at using a toothpick and then end up chewing on it for longer, well, it’s kinda like smoking a cigarette used to look in movies: the definition of swagger. Well, I suppose that holds true more if you’re a guy than anything.
Overall, I’d like to see a resurgence in the use of toothpicks if only because they’re far more friendly towards the environment than plastic flossers are now. At the very least, toothpicks can decompose after use in the event that one is laying on the ground instead of in a trash can. I can’t tell you how often I see little plastic flossers that were tossed to the wayside with no second thought.