Getting a dental crown can make a big difference in how your teeth look, function, and feel. But sometimes, people need a little prep work before they can get dental crowns. If you've been told that you need a filling before you can have a crown and don't know why, then read this simple guide to find out.

Damaged Teeth

One of the reasons that a filling might be used is if your tooth is badly damaged. This is usually done when a tooth has a severe crack or break.

Crowns do an excellent job of closing off a tooth from the outside world, but that doesn't mean that they can't use a little extra help, too. Putting a filling on first ensures that your tooth is fully protected and that any openings are sealed so that nothing can get in there and cause problems.

More To Grab On To

Dental crowns don't just get thrown on top of a tooth and have it called a day. They need to fit properly over a tooth, and sometimes, there just isn't enough of a tooth left for it to closely hug.

When this happens, a filling is used to rebuild the general shape of a tooth. This is more common if you've had a root canal or have been severely grinding your teeth or some other cause has resulted in your tooth wearing down and becoming a smaller nub.

In this instance, drilling isn't usually necessary. The filling is simply added to the tooth in order to increase its general size so that it fits better under a crown.

How It Happens

If you need a filling for your tooth, you can expect it to be done early on in the process of getting a dental crown.

Getting a permanent dental crown usually requires at least two visits to the dentist's office. The filling is usually added during the first visit.

During this first visit, your dentist will examine your tooth to make sure that it's healthy enough to have a crown put on. If everything looks ok, they'll apply the dental filling during this visit. Then, a mold of the tooth will be taken and sent off to order your custom dental filling.

While you're at the dentist's office, a temporary crown will be put on. This is to seal the tooth off from any dangers and to protect the filling until your permanent crown is ready to be put on.

Once your permanent crown has arrived at your dentist's office, you'll come back in one more time to have it put on with dental cement. At this point, your treatment will be complete.

Dental crowns and fillings sometimes work together to provide you with the results you need. Rest assured that if you need a filling that the process should be quick and painless and will help to ensure a snug fit in your new permanent dental crown.