Can a Dental Crown Improve Your Smile?

How a Crown Changes the Look of a Tooth

Imagine you’ve had a tooth decayed down so that it’s pitted and uneven. It might even be a different shade than the rest of your teeth, and you know to cover it up when you laugh because you know precisely where your eye drifts.

A crown is placed over the reduced tooth to restore its outer surface, and the shade is chosen to match your other teeth while the shape is individual to you. Meaning that, after restoration, the tooth should not appear to be a foreign object in your mouth.

What Can a Crown Improve?

• A chipped front tooth will gain a smoother edge, improving the look of your smile

• Severely discoloured front teeth (especially if there is internal damage present) could be masked, instead of whitening other areas of your smile

• An uneven (worn) tooth can appear to be its former self again, although the dentist will need to ensure that the bite remains correct

• An out-of-proportion tooth could be restored so the overall look of your smile is not compromised

The Crown Has to Fit Your Smile

This is where a lot of the skill of your dentist comes in to play – your teeth are not a standalone feature, they exist within your face, and the crown should not be chosen without this in mind. The shape, height, shade and placement all influence the end-result.

The material the crown is made from can influence this also – a tooth-coloured ceramic crown can help restore a front tooth to something close to its natural appearance (given the shape is correct), and it is important to remember that there is not a ‘perfect’ shade or shape, the tooth should simply fit in with the rest of your smile.

What About the Other Teeth in My Smile?

A crown is a restoration that only covers a single tooth, and will not whiten the others or shift them into a new position – this is an easy assumption to make, especially if you are looking for more general cosmetic improvements.

The most appropriate course of action will be decided by your dentist, depending on what they find. If your teeth are generally healthy, but just not the shade you’d prefer, whitening might be an option, or if you have multiple uneven teeth, another cosmetic procedure may be advised.

A crown is more appropriate for a tooth that requires substantial restoration, but also has pleasing aesthetics.

A Small Change Can Feel Surprisingly Big

And so that’s how it usually is with a good cosmetic result – you barely think about it.

Of course, a crown may not be appropriate for the cosmetic improvement you’re seeking. The tooth in question will need to be assessed by your dentist, and there will need to be enough of the natural tooth present to allow the crown to adhere correctly. If the tooth is very infected, root canal treatment and other procedures may be necessary before the crown can be fitted.

So, Can a Dental Crown Improve Your Smile?

If you’re feeling self-conscious about a tooth or teeth that have been damaged, a crown, when fitted correctly, can make that tooth look whole and fit in with the rest of your smile.

A crown can be a really useful addition to your cosmetic dental care – the trick is in fitting it for the right reasons. If the tooth needs restoration, and you’re also unhappy with its appearance, you get two improvements from one procedure.

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