Making Smiles Ready: How Dentists Prepare Teeth for Dental Crowns

At least most of the time, a dental crown isn’t something you can get on short notice. Your dental team must “prep” your tooth before it can place the final restoration. Given these facts, it’s natural to wonder: How exactly do dentists prepare teeth for dental crowns? You needn’t ponder too long, as your Dallas dental practice has an answer. Read on to learn what dentists do to prepare teeth for dental crowns, as well as the perks of the prep process.

How are Teeth Prepared for Crowns?

Most dentists follow four key steps to prepare a tooth for a crown. In particular, these are:

1. A Brief Oral Exam

A dentist will first check your tooth for signs of wear and damage. While this exam can involve direct observation, it usually relies more on dental X-rays. Such clear images give a dentist (and their team) exact views of your tooth’s roots.

2. Dental Drilling

After the exam, the dentist will drill a little into your tooth. This effort gets a little loud, but rest assured that it isn’t painful; the dental team will numb your mouth before starting it. Such drilling work won’t cause any lasting soreness or irritation to your tooth.

3. Some Cleaning & Filling

Your dentist will clean and fill your tooth’s interior once the drilling is over. During this step, they’ll remove harmful debris from your mouth and disinfect the treatment site. These actions will greatly reduce your risk of having a tooth infection later.

4. Smoothing of Enamel

The dental team will smooth your tooth’s enamel to conclude the “prep work.” Doing so is a safety measure, as the step removes jagged edges that could cut your mouth’s soft tissues. This work also gets rid of rough spots that’d otherwise keep your crown from fitting well.

Why is the “Prep” Worth Your Time?

Though the “prep” may seem tedious, it’s ultimately worthwhile. It ensures your final crown provides the following benefits:

• Versatile Care – When fitted over a well-prepared tooth, a crown can treat cavities, chips, cracks, and more.
• Better Oral Health– Dental crowns can protect teeth and withstand your bite. As such, it’ll help a prepared tooth avoid root canals or tooth extraction later.
• Lifelike Results – If it’s given the proper preparation, a crowned tooth will blend seamlessly with your smile.

Given how dentists prepare teeth for dental crowns, keep your schedule open during treatment. Your dentist may need a few weeks to ready your final restoration!

About the Practice

Ross Avenue Family Dental of Dallas is based in Dallas, TX. Led by Dr. Xinxing Liu, our practice strives to make dentistry easy, effective, and convenient for all patients. We thus offer tailored and comprehensive care, from simple dental checkups and fillings to complex dental crowns and dental implants. Whatever issue your grin has, rest assured that we’ll take care of it! For more details or to book a visit, please contact us on our website or by phone at (469)-210-7223.