The thought of having your teeth filed or shaved might be a bit unsettling, but shaving is often an important step in ensuring that your gold crowns fit perfectly. When done by a professional dental artist, the process of installing permanent gold crowns is generally painless and you should be able to get your bedazzled choppers in a few hours.
If you are considering permanent gold crowns, here's what you should know about tooth shaving.
Tooth shaving, also known as shaping, stripping, sanding, or filing, involves removing a small amount of enamel from the tooth. During the procedure, the dentist uses specific tools to sand down and shape the edges of your teeth. Afterward, the dentist will level and polish the tooth surface in preparation for the new gold crown.
Because shaving removes a layer of enamel from your teeth, you should practice proper dental hygiene even if you plan to have gold crowns mounted.
What to Expect From Tooth Shaving
Although tooth shaving removes enamel, the tooth's protective component, the layer that your dentist will shave off is very thin and will not compromise the strength of your teeth. However, patients who have already lost a significant amount of enamel may experience heightened sensitivity following a tooth shaving procedure.
Overall, tooth shaving does not have any adverse side effects. Even during the reshaping process, you should not experience adverse pain, and anesthetic is not necessary. You may, however, experience slight discomfort from the vibration of the shaving tool.
On average, the process takes about half an hour to an hour, depending on how much filing your teeth need to achieve the desired shape. After shaving, your dentist will create a mold out of your newly shaped teeth and send this to a dental laboratory to fabricate your crown.
Benefits of Tooth Shaving
Tooth shaving is necessary to properly install permanent gold crowns. This procedure offers several benefits.
Tooth Shaping
Shaving reduces the size of your tooth, but more importantly, the process allows your dentist to achieve a specific tooth shape to improve the overall aesthetics of the crown.
Crown Stability
A crown must be stable and attach firmly to the tooth to avoid potential dental health issues. Although dental cement helps to hold down the crown, a poorly shaped tooth could easily compromise the crown's grip. Your dentist will need to taper the upper part of your tooth to ensure proper fit and adequate retention.
Tooth Alignment
In case of extensive decay or tooth chipping, shaving can help to realign the teeth and remove sharp and uneven edges prior to installing the gold crown.
If your teeth have suffered considerable decay, your dentist must fill up and then shape the tooth to a desired height and shape in preparation for crown installation.
On average, expect to pay $50 and $300 per tooth or more for a tooth shaving procedure. However, these costs may vary depending on the amount of work your teeth need. The cost of tooth shaving might also vary if done as part of installing permanent gold crowns. Consult with your dentist about what you can expect to pay and for ideas on how to finance this cosmetic dental procedure.
Investing in permanent gold crowns is certainly a fabulous way to make a statement. However, be sure to have a professional cosmetic dentist install your crowns to minimize the risk of dental complications.
If you are looking for gold teeth dentists in Baker, LA, and surrounding areas, get in touch with
Gold Teeth Baton Rouge for professional application of 22-karat gold crowns and composite bonding. Contact us today.
