A Dental Implant Vs. Crown. Which is Right for You?
Thanks to advancements in dentistry, numerous restoration solutions exist for missing or damaged teeth. Whether your tooth has fallen out, broken, chipped, or decayed, your dentist can restore your bite function and health.
Dental implants and crowns are effective solutions for restoring a tooth. While common, these procedures are different and used for varying purposes. This article discusses dental crowns and implants, their procedure, uses pros and cons, and which treatment is right for you.
Dental Crowns Vs. Dental Implants – What’s the Difference?
What is a dental crown?
A tooth crown is a tooth-shaped hat or cap that fits over a damaged tooth, significantly improving its size, shape, strength, and color. When a tooth is severely chipped, decayed, or worn down, a crown is ideal for holding the tooth together, improving its strength, and preventing further damage.
When placing a crown, the dentist often cleans the tooth to remove any damaged or decayed materials. Next, they will shave a small portion of its enamel to allow the crown to fit perfectly. If the tooth lacks enough structure to support a crown, the dentist can rebuild it.
Next, the dentist makes impressions of the tooth and other teeth and sends them to a dental lab to craft a custom-made crown. A temporary dental crown can protect the prepared tooth in the meantime.
On the second appointment, the dentist will remove the temporary crown and test the fit of the permanent crown. If all is well, the dentist will place the customized crown permanently. Depending on your condition, budget, and preferences, you can choose metal, porcelain-fused-to-metal, porcelain, gold, or zirconia material for your crown.
Reasons for a dental crown
A crown can:
- Hold together a severely chipped, cracked, or broken tooth
- Repair a decayed tooth
- Strengthen a tooth with a large filling
- Protect and strengthen a decayed tooth after a root canal
- Support a traditional dental bridge
- Cover a dental implant
- Improve the appearance of a misshapen, uneven, or severely discolored tooth
- Protect a worn-down tooth
Pros
- Improves the appearance of a tooth
- Restores bite function
- Cheaper than dental implants
- Long-lasting
- They save your natural tooth
- Less invasive procedure than getting an implant
- Faster treatment
Cons
- Irreversible procedure (tooth shaving)
- Can cause tooth sensitivity
- The crown can chip, break, loosen, or fall out
- Less durable than an implant
What is a Dental Implant?
A dental implant has a tiny titanium post or screws surgically implanted into the jawbone of the missing tooth. An implant acts like an artificial root. Then, the dentist places an abutment and crown over the implant. The crown acts as an artificial tooth. This idea of placing a crown over the implant causes people to compare implants to crowns.
Unlike a crown, placing an implant requires surgery. Therefore, implant patients should have healthy gums and jawbones to sufficiently support a dental implant. Similarly, you’ll be under anesthesia to prevent pain and discomfort.
The procedure is rather straightforward. The surgeon drills through the jawbone and places the implant post or screw. The bone can heal around the implant during osseointegration (about 3 – 6 months).
Next, the dentist will place an abutment that binds the implant with the outer crown. Lastly, a dental crown is placed over the implant to give its a tooth-like shape, function, and appearance. Our dentist offers dental implants near you.
Reasons for a dental implant
A dentist can recommend a dental implant if you have a missing tooth or teeth. Similarly, you can get an implant if you have a significantly damaged or decayed tooth that you can’t save with restorative treatments like a root canal, filling, or dental crown. In such a case, the dentist can extract the tooth and replace it with an implant.
Pros
- Durable. It can last for a lifetime.
- More natural results
- Restores bite and speech functions
- Improves the appearance of your smile
- Prevents jawbone deterioration
Cons
- More invasive
- Lengthy procedure and recovery. Getting an implant can take 3 – 9 months or more.
- Expensive than crowns
Dental Implant Vs. Crown Bridge, Which is Better?
When used to replace missing teeth, an implant offers better stability, strength, natural-looking, and long-lasting results than crown bridges. However, a crown bridge might be right for you if you lack enough jawbone, have a low budget, or you’re looking for a less invasive solution.
Similarly, if you have a damaged natural tooth that you can save, the best solution is to get a dental crown. Placing a crown will preserve the tooth, prevent further damage, and strengthen it. It will also restore your bite function and appearance.
Schedule an Appointment Today with Our Dentist in Beverly, MA
Do you still need clarification about which treatment is right for you? Schedule a dentist appointment at Beverly Dental Group for restorative crowns and dental implants in Beverly, MA.