If you are looking for a treatment for tooth decay or other dental problems you might have come across various dental treatment options including dental crown, dental filling or dental implants. If you are confused which treatment will work best for you, keep reading this blog to know the difference between these treatments.

Dental Crowns

A dental crown is a ceramic or porcelain fake tooth that fits over an existing tooth. Your dentist will suggest a dental crown if your tooth is damaged to a great extent.

This dental crown can be combined with dental bridges which can be used to fill a gap between teeth with the crown holding it in place. Dental crowns can protect tooth from further damage and restore broken teeth. The dental crowns are permanent and can be cleaned just like your natural teeth.

 

Dental Fillings

While dental crowns are necessary in case of severe tooth decay, dental fillings are used to restore teeth with smaller damages. Dental fillings are most commonly used to treat small cavities. One of the major differences between dental crowns and dental fillings is that during dental filling the decayed tooth material is removed and the tooth is cleaned before covering it with filling. The dental filling is usually made of composite resin that resembles natural teeth. Other materials that can be used for fillings are amalgam, porcelain or metals like gold and silver. While in a dental crown nothing gets removed from the teeth as it is placed over the existing teeth.

How to choose between dental crown & fillings

After considering the severity of decay of your teeth, the desired results, your overall health and your budget your dentist will let you know if you need a dental crown or a dental filling.