If you’ve recently gotten a dental crown, chances are the average person would be hard-pressed to tell it apart from the rest of your teeth. That’s because before it’s made, your dentist will make every effort to match the color with the rest of your smile. In fact, not only will it look just like a real tooth, but it should feel like one, too! Here’s a closer look at the painstaking effort your dentist makes to choose the right shade for your crown!
Eyeballing It
Your teeth aren’t the same color as everyone else’s, because there are several factors that contribute to it. These include how thick or thin your enamel is, as the more translucent the more dentin will show through, and of course the color of the dentin itself. It can also be affected by your diet, as people who regularly consume darkly pigmented foods may have tooth stains or discoloration. Your dentist can glean a lot from just eyeballing the color of your smile, which will help them determine the correct shade for your crown.
Using a Shade Guide
Shade guides are a chart that shows the spectrum of colors most teeth come in. These can be held up to the patient’s smile to determine where they fall and range from the brightest of white to even more yellow or gray tones. Your dentist uses shade guides to determine the right color of your dental crowns, tooth-colored fillings, veneers, and even to track changes before and after professional whitening!
Cool Technology
A spectrometer is a device that is used by dentists to detect color wavelengths to create as close as possible of a match for your crown to your existing smile.
At the Lab…
Once your dentist has determined the correct color for your new crown, they’ll send that information, along with your digital or putty impressions to the dental lab. There, the technicians will make every effort to create a restoration that both looks and feels realistic! This ensures that not only will your new crown protect your tooth and restore its chewing capability, but it will also blend in seamlessly with your smile, so nobody besides you and your dentist will ever need to know you’ve had work done!
Remember, today’s dental crowns are stronger and more realistic looking than ever before, so don’t be embarrassed about needing restorations- speak to your dentist about durable, lifelike dental crowns and restore your healthy, beautiful smile today!
About Dr. Lopez
Dr. Gilberto Lopez earned his undergraduate and dental degrees at the University of Guadalajara and has been proudly protecting smiles in Fort Smith since 2005. He is a proud, active member of the American Dental Association, Arkansas State Dental Association, and the River Valley Dental Association. To schedule a consultation for dental crowns at New Smile Dental, visit our website or call us today at 479-434-4277.