What is a Crown?
Damaged and decayed teeth can be effectively restored with tooth-colored crowns. A crown is a permanent covering that fits over your original tooth, restoring health and strength. Dr. Fichter uses crowns matched to your natural tooth color, which improve your smile's appearance as well as your dental health. Made out of pure ceramic or a new fiber-reinforced composite resin, it mimics the appearance of nature to the point where it is difficult to tell that it is not natural. It takes advantage of the new bonding technology, which allows us to bond it to your tooth so that it acts like it is one piece with your tooth--it's like an enamel replacement. It is metal-free, and thus satisfies the needs of patients with metal sensitivities. Crowns can be used to whiten, reshape, and realign teeth as well as to repair damage. We can make custom crowns for you in just two appointments!

Why Use A Crown?
A crown is used when the amount of decay or damage is severe. If a tooth has more decay or old filling than it does solid tooth structure, a crown is needed for strength. As a general rule once there is more filling than tooth a crown becomes the treatment of choice. If your tooth already has an old filling that is breaking down, or has new decay around a large old filling, the tooth is often times not strong enough to be filled again. A filling needs to have good solid tooth surrounding it for it to work properly. If there is not enough tooth to surround a new filling, an onlay or crown is needed.

Procedure
A crown generally takes two appointments to construct. The tooth to be treated is numbed with an anesthetic. Then all of the old filling is removed from the tooth and any new decay that exists is removed. Often once an old filling and any new decay are removed, there is very little of the tooth left. The tooth is reduced in size and shape, and sharp points are reduced so that a crown can fit completely over it. An impression or mold of the tooth and the opposing teeth are made. Then a temporary crown is constructed and placed on your tooth with a temporary adhesive to protect what is left of the tooth.

On the second appointment, the temporary crown is removed and the tooth is cleaned. The crown is then fitted to your tooth and the bite is adjusted to make sure it is shaped properly and the fit is comfortable. The crown is then attached to your tooth with an adhesive

How do I set up an appointment to get a crown?
Please call our office to schedule an appointment or schedule an appointment online. If you have any additional questions, we will be more than happy to answer them for you. We periodically run teeth whitening specials throughout the year - call 269.385.2100 to learn more.