You have many options to restore your smile when you have a damaged tooth as a result of erosion, trauma, or infection. One such option that you have is a dental crown. Dental crowns are long-lasting and durable solutions, but this is only if you take good care of them. Crowns are sort of like a cap that surrounds your tooth and keeps anything from directly contacting your tooth, essentially protecting it from outside harm. While crowns are long-lasting and durable, they can break, so it is important that you take care of them properly. Here are a few tips to ensure your crown lasts as long as possible.

Maintain Good Oral Hygiene

Once your crown has been placed, it is important that you don't forget to brush twice a day and floss once a day. When you fail to do this and you end up getting an infection or gum disease, you are putting your teeth, crowns, and your overall oral health at risk. If you get an infection in the tooth that the crown is placed on, the crown will need to be removed in order for the infection to be treated. Therefore, continue practicing proper oral hygiene habits.

Eliminate Bad Habits

There are certain bad habits that you may partake in that are not only bad for your natural teeth, but that are also bad for your dental restorations. Bad habits like biting your nails, chewing on ice, gnawing on the end of a pencil, and the like can damage your teeth, loosen your crown, or damage your crown, and you should stop these bad habits immediately.

Use a Night Guard

Many people will grind their teeth at night—sometimes without even realizing it. If this happens, your teeth as well as your restorations (crowns) will sustain damage. This can lead to erosion and can dislodge your restorations. Over time, it can also cause jaw pain, headaches, and other TMJ symptoms. To help prevent these things, you can start wearing a night guard at bedtime, which will keep your upper and lower teeth from touching.

Wear a Mouthguard

If you play sports or participate in contact physical activity, it is important that you start wearing a mouthguard. A mouthguard can help protect your natural teeth and your dental crowns from any sports-related injuries to the mouth, which are known to be the leading cause of dental injuries. With a mouthguard, you are putting a barrier between an elbow jab or a runaway ball and your teeth.

Visit Your Dentist

You should be visiting your dentist every six months. If you are not, then you are putting yourself at risk of developing oral health problems that cannot be identified and treated before they become bigger issues. If you have not visited your dentist in the past six months or longer, it is time to schedule an appointment. If you have a damaged tooth and think you would benefit from a dental crown, or if you have a damaged crown, get in touch with your dentist immediately.

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