Tooth cap for missing tooth - Instasmile US

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Affordable solutions to Dental-Tooth-Caps

The dental-tooth-cap, commonly known as a ‘crown’, is a vigorous dental treatment carried out by a dental professional. This common form of dental procedure is used for a variety of dental issues, including chipped or broken teeth, severe discolouration and to help support dental bridges or dentures. Having a tooth cap is permanent and irreversible.

How does the tooth cap work?

For the tooth cap to work, there has to be enough space on the existing tooth to accommodate for the cap itself. To do this, the dental professional will sand down the majority of the natural tooth so it is a small stump. Once the space has been made, an impression will be taken of your tooth so that the lab can create an identical replica of your original tooth.

It is vital for the dentist to get the most accurate replica as if there are any differences, the cap could fall off or break, cause pain or even cause a variety of other dental issues. At the end of this appointment, you will be given a temporary tooth cap that will protect the natural tooth until your permanent tooth cap is made. Once your tooth cap is made, you will then revisit the dental professional and have the cap cemented onto the tooth.

Why is a tooth cap needed?

  1. If a tooth has become weak due to decay, a dental cap protects the tooth structure from further damage when the bite is in use.
  2. To support and cover a large filling that is used to strengthen the tooth when there is hardly any tooth remaining.
  3. To help support a dental bridge
  4. To restore a broken that has lost a visible portion of the tooth surface.

Types of dental caps available

Metal Crowns - One of the more common and affordable forms of tooth cap is the metal crown. Strong enough to withstand bite force, metal crowns are seen as the more sustainable permanent crown option over porcelain crowns. However, due to their metallic nature, the metal crown is unsightly and obvious when smiling and can make the tooth look black in appearance.

All ceramic or all porcelain Caps - The less sustainable of caps, yet more visually appealing is the porcelain cap. Tooth-like in appearance, the porcelain cap will blend in more naturally with the surrounding teeth. However, the porcelain crown is far more susceptible to breakage.

Porcelain-fused-to-metal Cap - A mixed hybrid version of the porcelain cap and the traditional metal cap, the porcelain-fused-to-metal cap is a becoming a more popular choice in the dental cosmetic industry as it provides the natural look of a normal tooth and the sustainability of a metal tooth.

However, as the outer shell of the cap is porcelain, the black inside of the cap can be seen when the porcelain chips away. Dentists will often dismiss this issue as they will deem the task un-important.

Temporary Crown - Usually temporary crowns are provided to patients whilst their permanent crown is being designed in a dental laboratory. These crowns are not a long term and sustainable solution as the cap is made from an acrylic based material.

Caps for front teeth

It is possible to have a front tooth cap, however it is important that you are happy with the current color of your other natural teeth. When the dentist sends your tooth cap off to be made, they will take the shade of your surrounding natural teeth so that the cap doesn’t look out of place in your smile.

This is great but be warned, once the shade is chosen, there is no way of changing as the tooth cap will be resistant to teeth whitening products. So for example, if your current set has a natural stain shade, then your new tooth cap will also have the same shade. If you get your teeth whitened, your crown will still have that stained shade whilst your natural teeth have a pearly white glow.

The Tooth Cap Procedure

Before you can dive right into having a dental crown fitted over your natural tooth, the dentist will need to prepare the tooth to ensure that the dental crown procedure is successful.

Preparing the tooth As the crown is cemented onto the natural tooth, it is vital that the tooth is fit to host the crown. The tooth will be sanded down into a stump which will eventually allow the crown to rest comfortably on the natural tooth. If the tooth has suffered from a large amount of decay, a root canal procedure will take place to ensure that the tooth does not decay further when the cap is placed over the tooth. An impression of your dental profile will be taken so that the crown can be accurately designed in the dental laboratory and will match your gum line. Once the tooth has been prepared, a temporary crown will be fitted to ensure that you do not leave the dentist with a stumpy tooth.

Fitting the crown Once your crown has been crafted, you will then need to visit your dentist again for the crown to be fitted. Once the fit and color of the crown is deemed acceptable, the crown will be cemented into place.

Another session with the dentist may be advised to ensure that the fit of your crown is secure. If the crown is fitted incorrectly, you will suffer great discomfort when eating and your bite may be affected.

Tooth cap cost

The cost of a tooth cap can be quite staggering and is therefore a luxury that not everybody can afford.

The tooth cap procedure can cost around $250 per tooth! As you can imagine, this number can rack up even further if multiple teeth are in need of the treatment. As you can imagine, this number can rack up even further if multiple teeth are in need of the treatment.

But what if there was a solution that could solve the same cosmetic issues as tooth caps, whilst also having multiple teeth covered in one price without seeing your dentist?

instasmile veneers cover multiple teeth and start at just $400 for a full top or bottom set. This will not only solve the issues you may have with one individual tooth on your arch, but it will cover every cosmetic problem along the entire arch. From missing teeth, gaps and chips to discolouration and cavities, our clip-on veneers have got you covered.

The benefits of instasmile over other tooth replacement options include:

  • More affordable, modern solution
  • More comfortable
  • Custom made and simply clips into place
  • Hides gaps, missing teeth, discolouration, chips, cracks and broken teeth
  • Multi-solution in one
  • Choice of shades
  • Natural aesthetics
  • No dentist visits

The instasmile process

Ordering your custom smile from the comfort of your own home couldn’t be easier.

  1. Click the ‘Get Started’ button on the homepage
  2. Answer a few questions about your smile & we’ll check if you’re suitable
  3. Choose your shade & place your order - we offer 0% payment plans if you want to spread the cost
  4. We’ll send out an impression kit for you to use at home - make sure you watch our video guide.
  5. Send your impression back to us so we can create your custom partial denture alternative
  6. We will then: check, scan, design, manufacture and hand finish your product for beautifully naturally aesthetics
  7. Receive your custom veneers direct to your door and get really to smile with confidence again!

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