If you need dental crowns, consider yourself lucky. This means that your teeth are not so far gone they have to be removed and that they can be preserved with a dental crown. Dental crowns can be put on by your regular dentist or you may be referred to a dental crown specialist to get your dental crowns put on.

Use this guide to help you know if you need dental crowns, whether you want to get your current ones looked at or you're thinking of dental crowns for the first time.

Your dental crowns are loose

Dental crowns cover a whole tooth or are put in where a post has been put in for a dental implant. If your dental crowns are loose, you'll feel the edges of them around their base and you may even be able to get your tongue under the base of them. You may feel some discomfort as the dental crowns move around. The dental crowns being loose is a potential danger to your smile because the tooth underneath the crowns can be compromised if exposed to germs or oxygen. You also risk putting your tooth in danger if it has an exposed root or nerves that your dental crown covers.

Your dental crowns can become loose for a variety of reasons and should be treated by your dental professional. A dental crown specialist can examine your dental crowns to see if they need to be replaced and will give you several solutions you can try to preserve your dental crowns or replace them.

Your teeth are very damaged

If you have never had dental crowns before and are considering them for the first time, know this: your dental crown specialist will not put a crown on a tooth that has to be pulled, unless the tooth is already pulled and a post has been put in. Your dental crowns are intended to help preserve an existing tooth where other efforts have failed and can be a great way to keep your smile intact if it's otherwise healthy.

Time is important in choosing an oral health solution, so see your dental specialist right away if you want to get dental crowns. If you wait until it's too late, you may be unable to preserve your tooth at all and may be unable to have dental crowns put in without having more expensive dental implants put in. Your dental professional will help you determine what solution will be best for your needs.

For more information on dental crowns, contact a professional near you.