Dental crowns are used to reconstruct teeth that have been greatly damaged but are still complete and healthy enough to preserve.
For example, a tooth with extensive decay caused by caries may be a candidate for a crown.
Crowns are also used as part of other types of dental reconstruction, such as bridges and implants or restorations after root canal therapy.
Crowns are produced in laboratories with molds that a dentist prepares. They are placed on top of the tooth and glued to it with a specific type of dental cement.
Depending on their material, there are different types of crowns.
Metal
Metal crowns are made with metal alloys. Common metals used in these alloys are chromium, gold, nickel, and palladium. They are very resistant to wear and tear, although they do not resemble natural teeth. Unless the patient doesn’t mind the aesthetics of metal crowns, they are used mostly for teeth that are regularly out of sight, like the deep molars.
Price
They are very reasonably priced in Costa Rica, while crowns can be terribly expensive in the United States.
Stainless Steel
Stainless steel crowns are not as resistant as other crowns, but they are cheap and practical in the short term. Stainless steel crowns are used as temporary crowns while a stronger, more permanent crown or other type of dental restoration is being prepared. They are also used on children who have yet to lose their first set of teeth, since the teeth are going to be replaced.
Porcelain
Porcelain crowns are the most common type of crowns used. They are resistant in the long term. However, people prefer them because they resemble regular teeth. They also feel like natural teeth.
Porcelain Fused over Metal
This type of crown is a mixture of a metal crown with a porcelain crown. They consist of a metallic cap that’s covered with dental porcelain. They are as strong as metallic crowns and look like natural teeth.
A dentist is the only one that can help you select the best crown for your specific needs, depending on your dental history, visual examination and x-rays.
While crowns can be terribly expensive in the United States, they are very reasonably priced in Costa Rica. They are produced with laboratories that get their equipment and know-how from the best suppliers in the United States and Europe, so you won’t be sacrificing quality for price.
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Monica Rix Paxson is an award-winning author writing on topics related to science and medicine including the book “The English Speaker’s Guide to Dental Care in Mexico”.She has appeared on CNN, Good Morning America, CBS This Morning and the BBC.