Treating a Dental Fracture Might Call for a Crown Restoration

A dental fracture can be caused by any number of things. Common culprits include an accidental fall, sports injury, or a bad habit, like nibbling on pencils and pens. Some dental fractures are limited to the tooth enamel and cause very little discomfort. This might tempt you to forgo professional treatment at The Chicago Family Dental Center in Chicago, Illinois. However, this could prove to be a serious error in judgment.

In time, the damaged tooth enamel could come to trap microscopic food particles and bacteria reside. This could eventually foster a new area of tooth decay to develop in a tooth that has already suffered significant damage.

Some small dental fractures can be repaired by applying an amalgam or composite resin filling. A large dental fracture or a small one on a critical location might call for a crown restoration. This will essentially replicate the entire tooth enamel layer in an alternate material.

Your The Chicago Family Dental Center dentist will remove the entirety of the tooth enamel layer. This leaves behind a small pillar abutment of dentin, which will eventually anchor a crown in place.

A detailed impression will be cast of the area and the corresponding teeth in your bite.  This will be sent to a professional dental lab, where your final crown is made. A temporary crown is then cemented over the abutment to protect it.

We will call you for a follow-up appointment when your new crown is ready. During this appointment, your dentist will remove the temporary crown and cement your permanent crown into place

If you’ve recently suffered a dental fracture and you’re in the Chicago, Illinois area, please call 312.551.0500 to have it examined and repaired. Dr. Gary Wegmann and our dental team look forward to helping you smile again!