How Do Dentists Color-Match Dental Crowns?

Cavities are small areas of decay that can usually be fixed with a dental filling. When the area of decay becomes big enough, a tooth-shaped cap called a dental crown will be necessary. This restoration improves the look and structure of a damaged tooth and can also be used for small, discolored, or misshapen pearly whites. They are color-matched to blend in seamlessly with the surrounding teeth, but how does your dentist do that? Keep reading to learn about the methods they use to make your crown match the rest of your smile as closely as possible.

Why Teeth Are Different Colors

Teeth in one person’s mouth can come in a variety of colors. One reason for this is that existing dental work, such as fillings and crowns, can become discolored over time. This can lead to the color of one’s teeth being inconsistent.

Additionally, eating or drinking coffee, tea, berries, cola, red wine, grape juice, soy sauce, or other highly pigmented foods and beverages can lead to discoloration. There are also some genetic reasons for discolored teeth.

How Your Dentist Can Create a Custom Tooth Shade

When a dentist makes a dental crown for a patient, it is completely customized to fit their mouth. Not only does this ensure that the crown doesn’t impede their bite, but this also helps the tooth blend in with the rest of their smile. Your dentist does this by using one or several of the following techniques to color-match the crown:

• Natural light – Dentists generally prefer to use natural lighting when picking the right shade for a dental crown. This is because your smile looks different depending on the lighting. Sun light will give them the most accurate color-match.
• Controlling color contrast –Brightly colored makeup or clothing can make it harder to focus on the shades of your teeth. For this reason, your dentist may ask you to remove bright lipstick or have you wear a gray apron.
• Analyzing images of adjacent teeth –Advanced dental technology allows some dentists to use photos of your adjacent teeth to determine what color your dental crowns should be.

About the Practice

Located in Rockwall, McNew Dental gives their Texas patients the care they deserve. This includes a variety of exceptional services to promote healthy beams. If you have a damaged tooth, they offer dental crowns to make it look as good as new. They can also explain how they color-match it to perfectly blend with the rest of your beam. If you want to learn more about dental crowns or to make an appointment with McNew Dental, call their office at (972) 771-2213 or visit their website.