Historically, dentists provided dental crowns made from durable metals that are strong enough to withstand the pressure of daily biting and chewing but which often left patients feeling self-conscious about their appearance.
Today, most providers offer more lifelike dental crowns made from materials that can be customized to resemble your natural enamel for beautiful results that boost your confidence. But you’re not alone if you’re wondering how your dentist picks the right shade for your restoration. Continue reading to learn more about it!
What Are Tooth-Colored Dental Crowns Made From?
Instead of using amalgam mixtures of metal, today, many dentists provide more realistic tooth-shaped caps made from resilient ceramic, such as porcelain or zirconia, or composite resin. These materials reflect light more naturally, like enamel, and can be carefully crafted to match the size, shape, and tone of your natural teeth.
This allows your dentist to blend your prosthetic seamlessly into your smile for a lasting repair that looks and feels more realistic, so you don’t have to worry about being judged for your appearance. Not only that, but these restorations resist chips, cracks, and stains, and often remain in great shape for 5 to 15+ years, meaning they often last just as long as their metallic counterparts.
How Do Dentists Choose the Right Color?
Are you curious exactly how your dentist chooses the best hue for your new tooth? The answer can vary depending on your provider and the type of technology they use.
For example, many dentists use shade-guides, which are plastic or metal cards containing a variety of tooth tones. These can be held up to your smile to directly compare the colors to find an option that resembles your natural enamel. However, some providers are equipped with a spectrometer, a mechanical device that measures light wavelengths to determine an exact match.
How Can I Avoid Dental Crown Discoloration?
Ceramic crowns tend to resist damage and discoloration, but they’re not invincible. For instance, frequent or prolonged exposure to darkly pigmented foods and drinks, such as tea, coffee, berries, tomatoes, or wine, can eventually leave them looking dark or dirty. Unfortunately, these restorations cannot be whitened like your natural teeth, so it’s best to avoid stains if possible.
Most patients can do this by brushing and flossing twice daily to remove plaque and bacteria that give pigmented particles a textured surface to cling to, choosing wholesome foods that support their oral and overall health, and visiting their provider every 6 months for a routine checkup and cleaning.
If you have additional questions about how your dentist color-matches dental crowns, you can learn more by asking them directly!
About the Practice
Patients at Hanover Road Dental Health benefit from a team of providers who are passionate about helping them build and maintain beautiful, healthy teeth and gums. Dr. Sanders, Dr. Munsey, and Dr. Gajewski collaborate to provide a comprehensive menu of services, including one-of-a-kind dental crowns, to meet the unique needs of people of all ages. They use state-of-the-art equipment to deliver more comfortable, accurate results intended to last. You can request an appointment on the website or call (603) 643-4362.