5 steps to rebuilding broken teeth with dental crowns (made in-house!)

Fractures or cracks can threaten the structural integrity of your teeth. Luckily, your friends at VanderLaan Family Dentistry have an answer to broken, vulnerable teeth: dental crowns. Also known as caps, these high-quality dental restorations are designed and secured to hold together the damaged tooth. They may also be recommended to strengthen teeth that are weakened due to everything from progressive dental decay to wear and tear caused by conditions like untreated bruxism (chronic teeth grinding). Plus, at our office in Byron Center, Michigan, we can make crowns while you wait. Yes, we can rebuild your broken, decayed, or traumatized tooth in five easy steps. 

Step No. 1: Prepare your broken tooth

The crown or cap is designed to cover the natural tooth structure. So, sufficient space must be provided for the crown to fit properly on top of the tooth. To accommodate the crown and give the damaged tooth a fresh start, Dr. Matthew VanderLaan will generally remove any vulnerable areas or areas of decay as appropriate. This helps ensure the crown fits right first and that any natural tooth structure is healthy and strong. 

Step No. 2: The core build-up

Often, a core build-up is part of the preparation process. Once irreparably damaged or decayed areas are removed, we may be left with inadequate structure for the crown to bond to, leaving the tooth vulnerable to further damage. To create the most stable foundation for the crown, dental materials such as composite are used to rebuild a portion of the broken or significantly weakened tooth. This material provides a substructure for the crown, supporting its sustained durability and health for years. In short, it can add many years to the “life” of your new crown or treated tooth. 

Step No. 3: Digital imaging 

With the right, strong foundation, we can now move on to planning and designing your new computer-aided crown. We use digital technologies to capture images of the prepared tooth. These images and special software are then used to create the crown precisely to your one-of-a-kind specifications. 

Step No. 4: Making your crown 

We use only the best fabricating technology and equipment from Glidewell Labs to make your crown. The crown may be fabricated here at our office in Byron Center, MI, from a solid block of BruxZir® zirconia block. This material is highly regarded for both its strength and aesthetics. At other dentists’ offices, an outside lab would require at least two weeks to make your crown. Not so here at VanderLaan Family Dentistry. We make the crown on-site in just one visit. 

Step No. 5: Cement your crown 

Once the crown is ready, we check for its “fit” and that it looks great before bonding or securing it to the prepared tooth. Even the slightest adjustments can be made on-site, too. The final touch is to polish the tooth to bring out its brilliant sheen! Now, all you have to do is smile, enjoy your tooth, and take good care of it (like you do with all your other, non-crowned teeth)—call (616) 288-2554 to take the first step today. 

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