Dental Crowns – Their History And Use

Today, the use of dental crowns serves a purpose that is often a combination of restorative and aesthetic functions but, when first introduced, they were intended primarily for repairs.

It might surprise many to learn that these prosthetics were first used some 19 hundred years ago by the Etruscans, whom archaeologists tell us had already been practicing various forms of restorative and preventative dentistry for around 900 years.

The material chosen for the purpose at this time was gold so, clearly, these dental crowns would have been confined to the society’s more affluent citizens. Over the years many other metals have been used for this purpose.

Among these was lead, which was eventually found to be too soft and its use was largely abandoned before any news of the metal’s high level of toxicity emerged. Tin, iron and tungsten also found their way into patients’ mouths over the years as well as the other precious metals, platinum and silver.

Even today, gold remains the most effective material for the construction of dental crowns but a combination of its high price and its less than natural appearance led to a search for cheaper and more aesthetically pleasing materials.

That has resulted in the development of an assortment of composite materials and dental porcelains now widely used for both routine repairs to damaged or decayed teeth and in purely cosmetic restorative work.

Reasons for Dental Crown Treatment

When the ongoing health of a tooth seems likely to be endangered by a particularly large cavity, often the only viable solution is a dental crown, although this is certainly not the only use for this type of restoration.

In other situations, such as when an dental implant may be required, the implant will then subsequently be fitted with this or perhaps some other type of prosthesis depending upon the precise goal of dental crown procedure.

Following root canal treatments, when the nerve and the blood supply are removed from a tooth, the empty pulp chamber is then with an inert filler to prevent infection. Because this leaves the tooth more brittle, the attachment of dental crowns is a common means used to strengthen the overall tooth structure and thus to restore the bite.

One further and quite common use arises when a tooth that the dentist intended to use to provide the support for a removable partial denture is found to be unsuitable because of its size or morphology. In this instance the supporting or abutment tooth or teeth may need to be modified in order to fulfil the support function. The modification needed is commonly provided by fitting dental crowns that, in this application, are referred to as surveyed crowns.

Last but, in today’s world, certainly not least, this type of restoration is now very widely used for purely cosmetic purposes – to gain that perfect Hollywood smile.

In those instances where only a small degree of restoration is required such as when covering a stain, chip or some small irregularity, the use of veneers or laminates is often quite sufficient.

However, where the degree of damage or distortion is more extensive, it is likely that a porcelain dental crown will prove to be the only effective solution.

How Dental Crown Procedure is done

Preparation will involve removing sufficient enamel and varies with the material being used. In the case of gold, its superior strength means that a thinner layer is needed than when using porcelain so the latter will need more enamel removed.

Traditionally, the procedure requires at least two visits, the first being to prepare the tooth and to make an impression, from which the final prosthesis will be fashioned off-site, and then to fit a temporary restoration. The second visit will see the procedure completed and the permanent restoration in place.

Advances in technology have led to chairside milling of dental crowns and fitting with just a single visit.

About the Author:
Dr. Ivan Marx is a experienced dental professional and has some of the most advanced machines when it comes to creating dental crowns easy, fast and accurate.