Dental crowns have been a popular way for restoring and saving teeth for a long time, but today’s version of the restoration isn’t always what people expect. While most people are familiar with traditional, or complete, dental crowns that completely cap a tooth’s visible structure, not every crown today is designed the same. Today, we look at why and how modern dental crowns come in different sizes, and why a partial crown (or onlay) may be the better option for dealing with certain types of tooth damage.
The purpose of complete dental crowns
A traditional dental crown is designed to stop a tooth from becoming compromised more severely and restore its ability to function. It accomplishes this by capping all of the tooth’s visible, natural crown structure, up to the gum line. A custom crown can be designed to closely mimic the size, shape, contour, and appearance of the tooth, allowing it to take over the tooth’s function and role in your oral health and bite function. This makes a dental crown an ideal solution in many cases of severe tooth damage, which impact most or all of the tooth’s natural crown structure.
When a partial crown is the better choice
While a full dental crown can be the ideal solution for extensive damage to a tooth’s crown, not all forms of tooth damage are that extensive. For example, you may have a part of your tooth that has been broken off, but isn’t large enough to require capping the entire crown structure. For this and similar instances, your dentist might recommend restoring the tooth with a custom-designed partial dental crown, which can cover only the damaged part of the tooth rather than its entire crown. A partial crown, often referred to as an onlay, can offer optimal tooth restoration while minimizing the extent of preparation required to your tooth structure.
Choosing the right crown for your tooth
The choice in modern dental crowns means that you have more options for addressing a wider range of tooth concerns in a way that doesn’t require substantial tooth preparation. The preservation of your healthy, natural tooth structure is essential to the tooth’s long-term health and integrity. With the help of a custom onlay or full dental crown, your dentist can help ensure that your tooth’s restoration also preserves a maximum amount of the tooth’s structure.
Learn how a custom crown can save your smile
Modern dental crowns are designed to restore teeth with a wide variety of concerns, and in a manner that offers the most minimally invasive treatment. To learn more, contact our office by calling Syosset Dental in Syosset, NY, today at 516-433-2211 or 516-921-1678.
