By Aspen Dental
Dental Implants vs Crowns
Do you have a tooth that is too decayed for a filling? You have a few options to choose from, including a dental implant or a crown. These solutions are very different, and each of them pose their own benefits and drawbacks.
A dental implant procedure requires the affected tooth to be extracted, then a titanium post will be inserted into the gum. Then an abutment will be placed on the post and the new artificial tooth is put on the abutment, made to look just like your real teeth.
For a crown, your dentist will use a durable material like porcelain, gold, or metal to create a crown or cap that will cover either just a part of your tooth or the entire tooth, depending on the extent of the decay.
A crown is ideal if you have a cavity that is too big for a filling, but not quite big enough to necessitate extraction. It’s not recommended to have an implant placed if the tooth is not extremely decayed, because the decay can still be fixed. But if a tooth has decayed beyond repair, an implant may be your best option.
Crowns don’t require surgery and the recovery time is quick, whereas dental implants involve invasive surgery and can sometimes take more than six months to recover from. An implant is also much more expensive than having a crown put in.
Overall, the choice between a crown or a dental implant really comes down to how much decay the tooth has. Visit us at Aspen Dental if you would like more information about crowns and dental implants.
