Caring for an Elderly Parent With Special Dental Needs
Types Of Crowns
Joe Lawrence
While there are many dental crowns in use today, they're all designed to mount onto a tooth or implant. Crowns are often confused with veneers, which only cover portions of a tooth's surface. They're designed to enhance an otherwise decent tooth.
Crowns see use when a tooth has been weakened and structural restoration is necessary. They're also used with implants for the visible part of the artificial tooth. Crowns tend to be expensive due to the expensive materials and complex procedures involved.
There are several major materials used for crowns today. These include various metals and ceramics as well as a couple hybrids of the two.
Porcelain Crowns:
These are made from precision-engineered dental ceramics designed for the purpose. Porcelain crowns are unrivaled in their natural appearance. Everything from their translucency and color makes for an amazing crown. They're almost indistinguishable from the real thing at any distance. There is no better material for visible front teeth. There is one minor drawback though, and that is its durability. Porcelain crowns aren't quite as durable as the other two major crown types in this article. That said, most people with porcelain crowns see no issues or failures.
Metal Crowns:
The original and classic design. As the name suggests, these all involve some sort of metallic alloy. Gold is the most common metal in these alloys due to its gentle, non-reactive nature with the body. Metal crowns are the most durable, yet they don't cause excessive wear on opposing teeth. The only drawback of this type is its high visibility and artificial appearance. These days, they only see use for molars and other teeth in low-visibility areas.
Porcelain-fused-to-metal Crowns:
These are quite simply hybrids of the previous two methods. Ceramic or porcelain veneers over a metallic core. They do an excellent job combining the boons of the previous two designs.
They're strong, and they look natural--both qualities that make for an excellent crown.
Unfortunately, the design has a tendency to reveal a thin, metallic line at the bottom of the crown. This can reveal itself if the patient's gum line recedes. They can also cause undue wear on opposing teeth, if you aren't careful. Chipping is also a possibility. That said, even if you do chip the crown, only the ceramic exterior is at risk. The structural metal core of the crown will remain sound, even if the exterior veneer chips.
For dental implants, contact a company such as Smile City.
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Caring for an elderly parent tends to be tough enough without the added stress of dealing with dental implants or dentures. But, the prospect is not the end of the world—there are many things you can do to ensure that your parent's dental health is not compromised without having to spend a lot of personal time doing the care yourself. Between working with the right dentist, hiring a service provider for part time work, and giving your parent the tools he or she needs to care for his or her own dental health at home, you'll find that dental health for your loved one isn't so tough or time consuming after all. Hopefully you are able to get the support and information you need right here.