Does one of your teeth need a bit of extra support thanks to decay, an injury, or an accident? Your dentist is likely to recommend a dental crown to protect your compromised tooth from additional damage. While this type of restoration used to be more obvious and stand out back in the day, thanks to modern dental techniques, getting a dental crown today means a beautiful, natural-looking finish. Your crown will be made to blend in seamlessly with the rest of your smile! Here’s how the color matching process works.
Choosing the Perfect Color
Crowns can be made in a wide spectrum of shades. While you may think that whiter means better when it comes to the appearance of your tooth, this isn’t necessarily the case. The goal is for the new crown to blend in naturally with the rest of your smile. If the tooth ends up being whiter than the surrounding teeth, it will look odd and unnatural. After all, minor discoloration is natural as you age. If you want to achieve a whiter smile, ask your dentist about undergoing teeth whitening before getting your crown(s).
Addressing Color Variation
Not all teeth are always the same color, but how does your dentist handle this? Variation can make the process a bit more difficult. In this case, it is usually the best option to match the crown to the adjacent tooth. The front teeth tend to have a thinner layer of dentin in the teeth, causing them to appear whiter, while canine teeth have a thicker layer of dentin. Symmetry is key!
Color-Matching Shade Guide
The most common tool that dentists use to match the color of teeth is a “shade guide.” This is a metal or plastic card with fake porcelain teeth of many different shades in a particular older. Your dentist will hold this next to your teeth to determine the ideal shade for your customized crown.
Customized Shading
If a single tooth is being replaced and in some other cases, custom shading can be done. The intrinsic details of adjacent teeth are analyzed so the new tooth can be crafted to perfectly match the rest of your smile. This includes a combination of photos and a consultation.
Matching the color of your teeth is important when it comes to your crown. By taking some precise steps, your dentist can restore the function and appearance of your smile!
About the Practice
At Brown, Reynolds, Snow, LeNoir Dentistry, we have a team of 5 skilled dentists eager to provide quality dental care for patients in Richmond. With their combined experience, patients can get pretty much anything they need at one of our two convenient locations. To learn more about dental crowns or to schedule an appointment, visit our website or call (804) 288-5324.