A porcelain crown is the best choice for certain types of dental issues. These include broken teeth and severe tooth decay issues. The crown provides a protective covering that allows you to keep your real tooth, and as a benefit, it gives your tooth a naturally attractive appearance.

When it comes to crowns, you have two options. Traditional crowns require your dentist to take imprints of your teeth, which are sent to a lab so a custom crown can be created. This requires two visit and a brief period with a temporary crown. Same day crowns are created in the office by your dentist, so you get the permanent crown right away. The following can help you choose which is best for you.

Crown location

Same day crowns aren't quite as detailed as those created in a lab. This is because your dentist feeds a map of your tooth into a machine, which then forms the crown. This isn't as exact as taking an imprint and then having the crown hand formed. The result is perfect for rear teeth where the crown isn't as visible. For front teeth, it's generally a better idea to have a traditional crown made so that it will be indistinguishable from your natural tooth.

Coloration concerns

Once again, crowns placed further back in the mouth are less of an aesthetic issue, so same day crowns are usually a good option here. If you are dealing with even slightly visible side teeth, you may be concerned about color. Natural teeth generally have several different shades of color. Same day crowns will match color relatively well, but they won't be as perfectly matched as a lab made traditional crown. If you are very self conscious about color, traditional may be a better option.

Tooth sensitivity

On the other hand, if you are prone to tooth sensitivity, a same day crown can help alleviate the issue. The problem with traditional crowns is that there is the original dental work, which leads to short term increased sensitivity. Then, the temporary crown doesn't provide perfect protection, so the sensitivity remains until the permanent crown is placed. With a same day crown, you won't experience a long period of heightened sensitivity, which can be very important if you already have sensitivity issues.

Talk over your concerns with clinics like Airport Road Dental Associates. They can help guide you to the best crown option for the specific work you are getting done and for your long term dental health and aesthetic goals.