If your teeth are extensively decayed or cracked

A crown is an encasing that is shaped to resemble a natural tooth and is fixed over the damaged or decayed surface of the tooth to restore it to its original shape and appearance. Also known as a cap, a crown is also fitted onto the dental implant in order to replace a missing or broken tooth and to hold a dental bridge in place as well.

A crown not only protects the decayed tooth from further damage and preserves the jaw's proper alignment but also gives your teeth a new lease of life.

Uses

A crown is routinely used to:

Types

Crowns can be made from several materials, including porcelain, resin, precious metal, or a combination of porcelain and metal. The metal alloy (gold), porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns and all-ceramic crowns are the most popular choice for the crown material.

A crown is fabricated in a dental laboratory, and then is bonded to its base with special dental cement or adhesive which forms a seal to hold the crown in place.

Lifespan

The average lifespan of a crown is between 5 and 15 years, considering that good oral hygiene is practiced at home. Sometimes the cement washes out from under the crowns due to which the caps may fall out, break or loose. The longevity of a crown depends on several factors like how well you take good home care, how often you visit the dentist, and the biting force applied to the crown.

It is, therefore, vital to brush your teeth twice a day daily with fluoride toothpaste and floss in order to keep your gums and teeth healthy and prevent damage to your new dental crowns. Avoid hard, sticky and chewy foods such as chewing gum, caramel and raw vegetables.

Cost

Costs of crowns vary depending on what country of the world you live in and on the type of crown selected. For example, porcelain crowns cost exceptionally more than gold crowns, which are costlier than porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns.

The price range of dental crowns is drastic, with the cost going through the roof in industrialized countries, namely United States, UK, Canada, and Australia. In countries like India, Thailand, Mexico and Costa Rica virtually all kinds of dental crowns are available for a price that's way lower than what you would pay in affluent countries.

Dental clinics and hospitals in these medical tourism hubs use the most researched and highest quality materials while still offering very reasonable fees to better serve the offshore dental patients.

With digital x-rays and lasers, the dental facilities in these countries are equipped with the most advanced technologies to perform every kind of dentistry work, ranging from cosmetic dentistry to restorative dental treatments.