Dental crowns are an incredibly versatile dental treatment, one of the few that your dentist will use for both restorative and cosmetic purposes. Your dentist will put in a lot of work to make your dental crown as good as possible, as will the dozens of lab professionals who will craft it.
Even something as small as picking the color of your dental crown involves a lot of work, care, and consideration on the part of your dentist. If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to color match your dental crown, here’s what goes into that process.
First Pass
First, your dentist will compare the color of your smile to a shade guide, which is a plastic card that holds porcelain shells of various colors. Your dentist will probably make this comparison in a room filled with natural light, or in a dentist’s chair situated by a window. They may also have you wear a gray bib to eliminate any contrast with your clothes and ask you to remove any lipstick you’re wearing.
Second Opinion
Like any good scientist, once your dentist notes the apparent color of your teeth, they’ll look for some kind of second opinion. This can be as simple as asking another dentist in their office or consulting one of their dental hygienists.
However, some dentists will make use of a tool called a spectrometer, which uses delicate sensors to measure the precise color of your teeth. They’ll then turn their observations and these readings into a set of meticulous notes that can be interpreted and understood by the dental lab.
Creating the Final Product
Your dentist will then send their notes off to the lab to be crafted by an expert ceramist. While an exact color match is impossible, the meticulous work that your dentist does can make the crown as close as possible. Once you see the results that they can produce, you’ll be all the more thankful for all the work that they’ve done.
About the Author
Dr. James Mularczyk is a dentist who believes the most important thing about his work is being able to connect with his patients and help them get their oral health in the best condition possible. Dr. Mularczyk received his Doctor of Dental Surgery from Loma Linda University School of Dentistry, and he’s a current member of both the Ohio Dental Association and the American Dental Association.
If you have any questions about the process of crafting a dental crown, we can be reached at our website or by phone at (937) 848-5986.