Dr. Yun may recommend either a dental crown or a filling to restore a tooth.
But it'll depend on the level of decay or trauma.
For example, you may need a crown to restore a tooth with a deep cavity.
Continue reading to learn more! Here's what else you need to know about dental crowns and fillings.
Quick Comparison
Crowns
- Cover decayed teeth
- Treat severe damage or decay
- Two appointments
- Dental impressions needed
Fillings
- Fill in decayed teeth
- Treat minor damage or decay
- One appointment
- No dental impressions needed
When to Choose a Dental Crown
Dr. Yun may recommend a dental crown to restore a tooth with severe trauma or decay. For example, you may have a cavity that's too big to restore with a simple filling. We also use dental crowns to strengthen teeth after root canals or to cover dental implants.
The Dental Crown Procedure
The dental crown procedure takes two visits to our office. During your first appointment, Dr. Yun will numb the tooth and gums with a local anesthetic. Next, he'll file down and shape the tooth to make space for the crown.
Once the crown is ready, Dr. Yun will take impressions of your teeth to send to the lab. From there, the lab will use these impressions to create your .
It'll take the lab a few weeks to make your crown. For this reason, Dr. Yun will place a temporary crown to protect your tooth in the meantime.
Your permanent crown will be ready when you arrive for your second appointment. Dr. Yun will remove the temporary crown and replace it with the permanent one. But he'll check the size, shape, and shade of the crown before cementing it in place.
That way, your new crown will look natural and blend in with the rest of your smile.
When to Choose a Filling
Dental fillings let you keep more natural tooth structure than crowns. But Dr. Yun will only recommend a filling to restore a tooth with a small cavity. If the cavity gets too big, he may recommend a crown, root canal, or other procedure to save the tooth.
The Filling Procedure
First, Dr. Yun will use a local anesthetic to numb the tooth and gums. Then, he'll remove the decayed tooth structure and fill the hole with composite resin.
Dr. Yun will have blended the resin to match the color of your enamel. That way, the filling will blend in with the rest of your tooth. Our dentist will mold and shape the resin to your tooth. Then, he'll harden the resin in place with a special light.
As an alternative, Dr. Yun may recommend . These fillings don't blend in with your teeth, but they are durable enough for back teeth. Also, most dental insurance policies will cover silver fillings.
Unlike dental crowns, fillings only take one appointment.
Request an Appointment With Dr. Yun
Dr. Suk Jun Yun is an experienced family dentist in Grand Rapids, MI. He's currently accepting new patients and would be more than happy to welcome you to our practice.
Ready to request an appointment with us? Please call the NorthPointe Family Dental & Implant Center at (616) 288-6134. You may also fill out our online contact form and someone from our office will reach out to you soon.
This blog post has been updated.