DENTAL CROWN - procedure

PROCEDURE: First an impression needs to be taken so that the lab technician knows what is to be done and knows the margins of the tooth.  The tooth is prepared into a specific shape so that the dental crown may be able to sit on it properly and meet accurately with the gingival margin.  The crown is made in the labratory and then sent to the dental office. In the meantime the patient wears a temporary crown while the final product is being made.  Once the final product is done the dentist will insert the crown on the prepared surface using a cement to hold the tooth in place. In case the underlying tooth was severely decayed it may have had to be treated with a root canal. In that case the tooth is no longer living but has been preserved to hold the new crown.

What steps are involved in preparing a tooth for a crown?
Preparing a tooth for a crown usually requires two visits - the first step involves examining and preparing the tooth, the second visit involves placement of the permanent dental crown.
Examining and preparing the tooth. At the first visit your dentist takes a few X-rays to check the roots of the tooth receiving the crown and the surrounding bone. If the tooth has extensive decay or if there is a risk of infection or injury to the tooth's pulp, a root canal treatment may first be performed.
Before beginning the process of making your crown, your dentist will anesthetise your tooth and the gum tissue around the tooth. Next, the tooth receiving the crown is filed down along the chewing surface and sides to make room for the crown. The amount removed depends on the type of crown used. If, on the other hand, a large area of the tooth is missing, your dentist will use filling material to "build up" the tooth enough to support the crown.
After reshaping the tooth, your dentist will use impression paste to make an impression of the tooth to receive the crown. Impressions of the teeth above and below the tooth to receive the dental crown will also be made to make sure that the crown will not affect your bite.