When tooth damage or imperfections affect your smile, dental crowns provide a simple solution. The versatile restorations offered by your Milwaukee, WI, dentists, Dr. Paul Scholl and Dr. Sirisha Pulapaka, at Art of Dentistry can help you enhance your smile.

What are dental crowns?

Crowns, also known as "caps," are hollow restorations that look just like the top part of your teeth. Made of porcelain, porcelain-fused-to-metal, ceramic or resin, crowns slip over teeth after they've been reduced in size by your Milwaukee, WI, dentist.

The restorations are made from an impression of your mouth to ensure that they fit comfortably and blend in with your smile. You'll leave the dental office wearing a temporary crown and will return in about two weeks to be fitted with your permanent restoration. After making a few adjustments, your dentist will cement the crown to your tooth.

How can a crown help my smile?

Crowns offer several smile-enhancing benefits, including:

• Protection of Fragile or Weak Teeth: Fragile teeth are at increased risk of tooth fractures, even if they look perfectly fine. If your tooth has weakened due to aging, a crack, a dental procedure or other cause, adding a crown will strengthen it and prevent a break. Once your crown in place, it will absorb the strong forces generated by biting and chewing, protecting your tooth from damage.
• Repairs to Damaged Teeth: Crowns also restore the normal appearance and function of broken teeth, whether the break occurred due to an expanding crack or a blow to the face, or happened after you took a bite of a hard nut or pretzel. Thanks to your new crown, no one will ever know that you damaged your tooth.
• Restoration of Missing Teeth: Have you lost a tooth or two? Crowns are often used to replace missing teeth. In fact, they're an integral aspect of both dental bridges and dental implants.
• Transformation of Unattractive Teeth: Crowns are an excellent option if you have one or two unappealing teeth. The restorations can conceal discolorations and other flaws, completely change the appearance of oddly shaped teeth and add length to short teeth.

Boost your smile with dental crowns! Call your Milwaukee, WI, dentists at Art of Dentistry at (414) 445-3670 to schedule an appointment.