If you are obsessed with British royalty, then you probably follow all of the gossip coming out of Buckingham Palace. Although it's fun to get involved in all of that gossip, the only real crown that you may ever wear is a dental crown. Dental crowns are basically caps that are placed over your tooth to help with a variety of reasons including those that are listed in this article. Read on. 

Cracked Tooth

If you have a smaller crack in one of your teeth, then your dentist may not want to pull it because it may not be necessary. Sometimes when a crack isn't very large, your dentist can just put a dental crown over the top of it. The dental crown won't just prevent the tooth from cracking even more later on, but it will also prevent bacteria from getting inside of the tooth. When bacteria gets inside of a tooth, it can cause a whole host of problems like having to get a root canal. 

Dental Implant

Another thing that a dental crown can be used for is with a dental implant. Dental implants are a really popular prosthesis that can be used to replace missing teeth. During this process, a metal rod will be implanted into the gum (where the tooth was). Then, after several months and as long as the gums have healed okay around the tooth, your dentist will place a dental crown on top of it. The dental crown will act as your tooth whereas the rod will act as your tooth's root. The combination of these two things will give you a tooth that has a lot of support. 

Repair a Discolored Tooth

If you have discolored teeth that you would like to change, then your dentist may recommend something like a dental crown. Similar to veneers (but less expensive), dental crowns can be matched to your surrounding teeth or can even be made a whiter color so that your smile looks a little bit more vibrant. When your dentist is making the crown for you, they will show you all of the tooth-colored options to help you land on the right color for your smile. 

Now that you know a little bit more about dental crowns and what they can be used for, it may be time to schedule an appointment with your dentist. To learn more, contact a dental team like Gregory S Rutherford, DDS today.