How to extend the life of crowns?

Warranty period and service life are not the same thing. A warranty is needed to ensure that the work was done correctly. During this period, the clinic undertakes to replace the structure free of charge in case of breakdown.

But a high-quality crown will last longer than the 2-5 year warranty period. Optimal: 10 years or more. It's like with a computer: it has a 1-year warranty, but you use it for much more. And all because you treat him correctly. In this case we are talking about service life.

What can a patient do to make the crown last a long time?

Before installation

Materials. When choosing a clinic for dental prosthetics, pay attention to the materials of the crowns. You can see them in the price list, in the estimate after a consultation, or check by phone. Dental ceramics brands are usually not well-known, but you can read about them on the Internet. Brands that are not mentioned anywhere or the clinic’s refusal to name the manufacturer should raise red flags.

Doctor. When choosing a doctor, patients often look at examples of work. But from the photographs you can see the skills of a specialist in aesthetic dentistry. But for a long service life of the crown, it’s better to look at what topics the doctor has improved his qualifications on. The words “occlusion” or “load” in the titles of courses and seminars are a good sign.

View. The average service life of metal-ceramic, zirconium and ceramic crowns depends more on care than on type. Modern cements allow the crown to last almost a lifetime, as long as the health of the tooth and careful handling allow it. However, when planning treatment, be sure to listen to your doctor's opinion. The most expensive and considered reliable option is not always suitable for a particular patient.

Immediately after installation

Make sure that the teeth fit together comfortably with the crown and that nothing is in the way. It is often difficult to understand at an appointment whether the new design is comfortable. The patient sat for an hour with his mouth open, and his jaw was numb from immobility. What to do? Take a break until tomorrow. After resting, starting to talk and chew, you will feel if something is wrong.

Don't hesitate and don't delay. Getting used to the crown takes a couple of hours, and if the next day you are still uncomfortable, make an appointment with your orthopedist. The doctor will see you as soon as possible.

Lifetime

10 or more years. The main thing is to properly care for the restoration.

We take care of the crown

The material of modern crowns is not inferior in strength to natural enamel. But the list of harmful, traumatic factors remains.

Do not crack nuts with your teeth, bite threads, open bottles, or untie knots. It is not recommended to hold nails, screws, etc. in your mouth like a carpenter. If you play dangerous sports such as hockey or boxing, be sure to wear a mouthguard.

Remember: anything that can chip a tooth can chip a restoration.

Protecting the tooth under the crown

The crown protects against tooth decay, but a small part of the tissue under the gum remains vulnerable to bacteria. Carefully observe oral hygiene: regularly and properly brush your teeth, use floss or a special brush, as well as an irrigator. Don't let an infection form under your gum.

Well-groomed gums are protected from periodontal disease, so teeth are stable and firmly held in place.

Let's take care of our neighbors

It is important that the remaining teeth are also in order. If the neighboring one is destroyed, it needs to be built up or strengthened with a crown, otherwise it will no longer participate in chewing. The load will be distributed unevenly. Then other teeth, including the one with an expensive crown, may chip or shift.

If an adjacent tooth is lost, it should be restored with an implant or bridge. If this is not done, the teeth on the sides will begin to shift towards the failure. And the opposing tooth on the other jaw will become mobile in the absence of load.

The situation will become even more complicated if several units are lost. The risk of crown breakage or chipping of veneering ceramics will increase many times over.

We protect the entire dental system

It's not just about healthy eating and preventative procedures. It is important to contact your dentist in a timely manner if any problems arise in the oral cavity, even those not related to a specific crown.

For example, bruxism often causes a short lifespan for crowns. If your orthopedic structures break down after 3-4 years, be sure to tell your doctor about it. Bruxism, spasmodic clenching of the masticatory muscles, can be successfully treated both before and after prosthetics.

Orthopedic dentist V.A. Chesnokov: I recommend coming in for an examination once a year, even after the warranty period has expired. The orthopedist will check the load distribution using a carbon paper. The fact is that over the years, teeth naturally wear down and decrease in height. But the crown is harder than enamel, it does not wear off. And over time, it becomes the highest point on the jaw; it bears the entire load when chewing. This could cause the crown to break. Trouble can be easily avoided by simple checking and polishing.

Where to replace a crown with high quality in Kharkov?

In “Harmony” dentistry, we install metal-ceramic and metal-free (ceramic) crowns on teeth . Our specialists will qualitatively restore your teeth and take care of the long-term results of prosthetics. You can receive a consultation and examination to determine if your orthotic needs replacement. After installing or replacing crowns , you will be able to regularly visit your doctor and resolve any issues in a timely manner. Modern materials and equipment and highly qualified doctors of the Harmony clinic in Kharkov will help maintain health and a beautiful smile for a long time.

How long will different types of crowns last, and what determines their “life”?

To have an idea of how often crowns need to be replaced, you should learn about the service life of various orthopedic structures. So let's look at this aspect from the perspective of different ways of classification.

For example, according to the period of wearing, temporary and permanent ones are distinguished. Temporary ones (made of composite or acrylic) last a very short time - from several days to 3-12 months. Permanent ones can last an average of 5-7 years. After how many years crowns are replaced depends on their service life, materials, manufacturing features, and how properly a person cares for them.

If we consider materials, then ceramic and metal-ceramic products will last up to 10 years maximum - with very good care. Zirconium dioxide or those made from lithium disilicate last longer - from 15 years. The manufacturing method is also important here - for example, zirconium dioxide structures milled with special devices can last more than 25 years. And ceramics processed using the classical method (manually) lasts about 7 years.

How to quickly restore beauty to your teeth

Metal-ceramics, from which crowns are installed on the front teeth, are made in the traditional way with an impression. And prostheses made of ceramic or zirconium can be obtained in just 1.5 hours using Cerek technology. One anesthesia will be required, or you can do without it. The prosthesis is installed on a fresh, just prepared surface.

The technology is relevant for the production of metal-free crowns:

The problem area is scanned and the model is reproduced by a computer.
The anatomical dimensions and shape will exactly repeat the “native” tooth.
The program will create a model and send the job to the grinding unit, where the design will be created.

If the shade is slightly different from the desired one, a new ideal copy can be easily created. A single crown is installed or an option is created for two front teeth.

Ceramics on zirconium

Such metal-free crowns for the front teeth are an opportunity to combine strength, reliability, and aesthetics. Indistinguishable from natural teeth, do not cause allergic reactions, and can withstand severe loads.

But the price of such products is quite high, so they have not yet gained universal popularity.

Composite veneering as a way to correct crooked teeth

Composite restoration is called composite veneering, but this procedure has many differences from installing onlays on teeth.

Composite restoration is the most affordable way to correct crooked teeth for adults and children. Depending on the amount of material used, the cost will vary between 3500-5500 rubles.
Only the problematic tooth is subject to intervention. Other units are not turned.
You can correct crooked teeth with composite in one visit.
The durability of composite restorations is inferior to ceramic prostheses (veneers or crowns), but with high-quality care and careful handling, a new “straight” tooth will last a long time.

What are dental crowns?

The destruction of teeth in the oral cavity makes it impossible to perform their main function - grinding and chewing food. To restore the functional purpose of a partially or completely deformed tooth, a prosthetic procedure is used. It involves the installation of crowns, which are caps fixed to the supporting part.

The root of a damaged tooth can serve as a support, but only if it is fully suitable. If not only the upper part is deformed, but also the root has significant damage, then an implant is used.

The crown is made in a dental laboratory based on previously taken impressions. After this, it is attached to the root and becomes a full-fledged tooth replacement. With the help of crowns, chewing and speech functions are restored, in addition, a person gets the opportunity to smile freely.

Ceramic veneering

Veneers are usually placed when the front teeth are slightly crooked. Dental veneers are installed very quickly, without the need for invasive procedures, and patients who decide to correct crooked teeth with veneers do not experience pain or discomfort. If you are looking for an option to correct crooked teeth for an adult patient, it makes sense to consider porcelain veneers. What you need to understand:

Veneers cannot be placed on one or two teeth - the entire frontal zone (6-8 teeth) is treated.
The cost of veneering will be higher than with prosthetics for one tooth, but the result will be the envy of Hollywood stars. The price of a veneer for 1 tooth according to the promotion at Amazing Price Dentistry is 12,500 rubles.
Correcting crooked teeth with veneers will require 3 visits to the clinic.

The problem with old crowns that are 10 – 20 years old or more

Many people have old orthopedic structures in their mouths: bridges, crowns.
They can be metal or combined plastic. Patients come to us who have been wearing these crowns for 20 years or more. And then there comes a time when a person is no longer satisfied with the old crowns.

Old crowns are not functionally satisfactory, since they can no longer chew food normally, because they have already eaten, sometimes even worn down to holes.
Old crowns are not aesthetically pleasing
, as they are worn out, blackened, grayed, and chipped.

Indications and contraindications

Installation of crowns for bite correction is advisable if the patient has certain pathologies:

Reduced or enlarged elements.
The presence of defects on the surface of the teeth (chips, damage).
Curvature or rotation of clinical crowns.
Increased interdental spaces.
The top of the unit is completely or partially destroyed.
Implantation of an implant instead of a removed element.
Unit divergence.

Covering with crowns does not correct every malocclusion. To eliminate some defects, it is necessary to use other methods that do not require grinding of the support unit.

Prosthetics cannot correct pronounced defects in which the shape and position of the clinical crown and root are disrupted. In such situations, alternative correction methods are used.

It is prohibited to use crowns if the wall thickness of the element is insufficient due to the risk of thermal burn of the pulp.