How To Care For Dental Crowns By Our Houston Cosmetic Dentist

A dental crown is a cap that is placed over a damaged tooth, typically made from porcelain, but sometimes composed of other material, like metal. Our Houston cosmetic dentist may recommend a crown if your tooth is too heavily decayed for a traditional filling to suffice. In these instances, you may be wondering about the best approach to dental crown care and dental crown maintenance, which are important to ensuring the continued health of your teeth.

What To Expect When Our Houston Dentist Applies Your Dental Crown

Typically, applying a Houston dental crown requires two visits. On your first visit, the damaged tooth will be filed down to remove the decay. Then, an impression will be made of the trimmed tooth and sent to the lab, where it will be used to create the permanent crown. This may take a few weeks, so our Houston dentist will use an adhesive to apply a temporary crown over the tooth, protecting it while you wait for your permanent dental crown to arrive. Once it’s ready, you’ll come back for a second visit. The temporary crown will be removed and our Houston cosmetic dentist will verify your permanent crown fits properly before cementing it to your tooth. 

How To Care For Your Houston Dental Crown

Brush and Floss Regularly

Just like your natural teeth, crowns require you to maintain regular flossing and brushing habits. In fact, because your crown sits on top of your natural tooth, sometimes food can get stuck under the surface of the crown, allowing bacteria to grow and decay the existing tooth underneath, leading to more problems.

Avoid Sticky Foods

While your Houston dental crown is firmly attached to your tooth using an effective adhesive, sticky or even overly-hard foods can cause the crown to shift or come loose. If you’re still wearing a temporary crown while waiting for your permanent one to be made, it’s best to avoid chewing sticky foods on the side of your mouth where the crown sits.

Use A Night Guard

Grinding or clenching puts an intense amount of pressure on your teeth, and dental crowns can crack or break under this pressure. If your Houston dentist has told you they see evidence of teeth grinding, especially at night, you may need to be fitted for a nightguard–a removable, custom-made plastic or acrylic piece that cushions and protects your teeth while you sleep.

Be Gentle With Your Temporary Dental Crown

Because a temporary dental crown is meant to be worn for a short time, the adhesive used to keep it in place is intended to make removal easier for our Houston dentist. Therefore, be careful while chewing and especially gentle when brushing, flossing, or performing any other aspects of temporary dental crown care.

Don’t skip appointments: Scheduling regular visits with our Houston cosmetic dentist is the most important step in dental crown maintenance. We can ensure your crown is still properly seated and identify the likelihood of future issues before they arise. 

When’s The Best Time To Call Our Houston Cosmetic Dentist To Schedule An Appointment For A Dental Crown?

Dental crowns are an important way to save and protect damaged natural teeth from further decay and are therefore an important facet of oral health. If you think you need a Houston dental crown or you’ve been told to get one, call our Houston cosmetic dentist to book an appointment today. Our initial consultation will help you better understand your options and offer important advice for dental crown care and dental crown maintenance, helping you preserve your beautiful, healthy smile.