How Does Dental Crown Color-Matching Work?

If one of your teeth needs extra support after experiencing decay, an injury, or an accident, your dentist is likely to recommend a dental crown. Back in the day, the materials used for dental crowns were noticeable and didn’t match natural tooth enamel. Thanks to modern dental technology, this is no longer the case. If you get a dental crown today, it can be made to blend in perfectly with the rest of your pearly whites. Here is how the process works.

Picking the Right Color

Crowns can be made in a wide spectrum of shades. You may think that whiter is better when it comes to the appearance of your repaired tooth, but this usually isn’t the case. A new crown should blend in naturally with the rest of your smile. A bright, white tooth can look odd and unnatural. It’s normal for minor discoloration to occur over time as you age thanks to many different factors. If you want to achieve a whiter smile, teeth whitening is recommended before getting your crown so it can match perfectly.

Addressing Color Variation

None of us are perfect, and neither are our smiles. You may discover that not all of your teeth are the exact same color, so how does your dentist handle this. This can make the process of color-matching more difficult. In this case, it usually makes sense for your dentist to match the adjacent tooth. The front teeth tend to have a thinner layer of dentin in the teeth, causing them to appear lighter, but canine teeth have a thick layer of dentin. Symmetry is the goal.

Color-Matching Shade Guide

The most common tool that’s used for matching the color of a tooth is a shade guide. This is a metal or plastic card with fake porcelain teeth of many different shades arranged in a particular order. Your dentist will hold this by your teeth to find the ideal shade for your unique crown.

Customized Shading

When a single tooth is being replaced and some other cases, custom shading can be done. This intrinsic details of the adjacent teeth are analyzed so the new tooth can be crafted to match the rest of your smile. This includes a combination of photos and a consultation.

Matching the color of your teeth is important when it comes to your crown. With some careful steps, you are able to show off a natural-looking smile with confidence.

About the Author

Dr. Joseph Vollo is an experienced dentist who has been working in the field for many years now. He earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from SUNY Buffalo and completed his post-doctoral Advanced Education in General Dentistry at the Western New York Veterans Hospital. For more information on dental crowns or to schedule an appointment at his office in Rochester, visit his website or call (585) 225-9114.