Month: August 2025

When a tooth is significantly damaged—whether from a large cavity, a fracture, or a root canal—a simple filling may not be enough to restore its strength and function. In these cases, a dental crown is often the best solution. A dental crown is essentially a cap that is placed over a damaged tooth to restore its shape, size, strength, and appearance. Think of it as a protective helmet for your tooth.

While the concept of a crown is straightforward, the materials used to make them vary widely, each with its own unique benefits. At New Hyde Park Dental, we help you choose the best crown for your specific needs. Here’s a look at the most common types of dental crowns and their ideal uses.

1. Types of Dental Crowns: Porcelain or Ceramic Crowns

These crowns are known for their exceptional aesthetics. They are made entirely of porcelain or another ceramic material and are a favorite for teeth that show when you smile, like your front teeth.

Pros:

• Appearance: They closely match the color of your natural teeth, making them virtually indistinguishable from the real thing.
• Biocompatible: The material is metal-free, making it a great option for people with metal allergies.

Cons:

• Strength: While strong, they can be more brittle than metal crowns and may be more susceptible to chipping or cracking under heavy chewing pressure, especially on back molars.
• Wear on opposing teeth: In some cases, the abrasive nature of porcelain can cause wear on the teeth it bites down against.

Best Used For: Restoring front teeth and for patients with metal sensitivities.

2. Gold Crowns

For decades, gold crowns have been the standard for durability and longevity. They are made from an alloy that contains gold, copper, and other metals.

Pros:

• Durability: These types of dental crowns are incredibly strong and resistant to fracture and wear. A gold crown can last for a very long time, often outliving other types of crowns.
• Gentle on other teeth: The material wears down at a similar rate to natural tooth enamel, so it won’t cause excessive wear on the teeth it bites against.

Cons:

• Aesthetics: The metallic color is a clear giveaway that you have a crown, making them less popular for visible teeth.
• Cost: Gold crowns can be more expensive due to the price of the precious metal.

Best Used For: Restoring back molars that endure significant chewing force, where the crown’s appearance is not a primary concern.

3. Porcelain-Fused-to-Metal (PFM) Crowns

These crowns are a hybrid of the two previous types. They have a metal inner structure for strength and a porcelain outer layer for a tooth-like appearance.

Pros:

• Strength and Aesthetics: They offer the best of both worlds—the strength of a metal crown combined with the natural look of a porcelain crown.
• Durability: The metal base provides excellent support, making them very durable.

Cons:

• Appearance: Over time, the metal can sometimes show as a dark line at the gum line.
• Wear on opposing teeth: The porcelain can still cause wear on the opposing teeth.

Best Used For: Both front and back teeth, as they provide a good balance of strength and appearance.

4. Types of Dental Crowns: Zirconia Crowns

A newer type of crown, zirconia crowns are a modern alternative that has quickly grown in popularity. They are made from a high-performance ceramic material, zirconium dioxide.

Pros:

• Exceptional Strength: They are incredibly strong and durable, rivaling gold crowns in their ability to withstand chewing forces.
• Excellent Aesthetics: They are tooth-colored, and new techniques allow for a translucent finish that can mimic the look of natural teeth.
• Biocompatible: Like porcelain, zirconia is a biocompatible material that’s well-tolerated by the body.

Cons:

• Hardness: Zirconia is very hard, which can sometimes lead to wear on opposing teeth if not properly polished.

Best Used For: Restoring both front and back teeth. They are a great choice for patients who want the strength of a metal crown with the natural look of porcelain.

The right crown for you depends on several factors, including the location of the tooth, your chewing habits, and your aesthetic goals. By discussing your needs with our team at New Hyde Park Dental, we can help you make an informed decision to ensure a long-lasting and beautiful smile.

Your tooth enamel is the hardest substance in your body, but that doesn’t make it invincible. It’s the thin, outermost layer of your teeth, and its primary job is to protect the sensitive inner layers from damage, decay, and acid erosion. Once enamel is gone, it doesn’t grow back. This makes protecting it a top priority for your long-term dental health. While you might think of dental care as something that only happens at your dentist’s office, the truth is that the small choices you make every day have the biggest impact.

At New Hyde Park Dental, we believe that preventive care is the best way to maintain a healthy, beautiful smile. Here are some simple but effective daily habits you can adopt to keep your tooth enamel strong and protected.

1. How to Protect Your Enamel: Brush with Care, Not Force

We’ve all been told to brush our teeth twice a day, but how you brush is just as important as how often. Aggressive brushing with a hard-bristled brush can be counterproductive, as it can physically wear away your enamel over time. Instead, opt for a soft-bristled toothbrush or an electric toothbrush with a pressure sensor. Use gentle, circular motions and hold the brush at a 45-degree angle to the gumline. This technique effectively cleans your teeth and gums without damaging your enamel. Additionally, make sure to use a fluoride toothpaste. Fluoride is a mineral that helps strengthen enamel and can even reverse early signs of tooth decay by remineralizing the tooth surface.

2. Be Mindful of Your Diet

What you eat and drink has a direct impact on your enamel. The biggest threats are acidic and sugary foods. Acids, found in citrus fruits, sodas, and sports drinks, can soften and erode your enamel. Sugary foods and carbohydrates, on the other hand, feed the bacteria in your mouth that produce harmful acids.

To protect your enamel, try to limit your intake of these items. When you do consume them, consider drinking water afterward to rinse away the acids. Focus on a diet rich in calcium and phosphate, as these minerals help to rebuild and strengthen enamel. Foods like milk, cheese, yogurt, and leafy green vegetables are excellent choices. Chewing on fresh fruits and vegetables like apples and carrots can also stimulate saliva production, which is your body’s natural defense against acids.

3. Embrace the Power of Saliva

Saliva is your mouth’s unsung hero. It’s a natural cleanser that helps wash away food particles and neutralizes the acids produced by plaque bacteria. A dry mouth can put your enamel at risk, so it’s essential to keep your saliva flowing.

One of the easiest ways to do this is to drink plenty of water throughout the day. Water keeps you hydrated and helps your mouth produce saliva. You can also chew sugar-free gum after meals. The act of chewing stimulates saliva production, helping to clear out leftover food and neutralize harmful acids before they have a chance to damage your enamel.

4. How to Protect Your Enamel: Don’t Skip the Floss

Brushing is only half the battle. Your toothbrush can’t effectively reach the tight spaces between your teeth, where food particles and plaque love to hide. This hidden plaque is a breeding ground for bacteria that release acids, which then attack the enamel on the sides of your teeth. Daily flossing removes this buildup and is a non-negotiable step in a comprehensive enamel-protection routine. It helps prevent cavities from forming in these vulnerable areas and keeps your gums healthy, too.

5. Prioritize Your Regular Dental Visits

While your daily habits are crucial, nothing replaces the professional care you receive at the dentist’s office. Regular checkups and cleanings, typically every six months, are essential for maintaining your enamel. During these visits, our team can remove plaque and tartar buildup that you may have missed, which is vital for preventing acid erosion. We can also spot early signs of enamel wear and other issues before they become serious problems. We can also provide preventative treatments like fluoride applications to give your enamel an extra layer of protection.

By incorporating these simple habits into your daily life, you are taking powerful steps to protect your tooth enamel and ensure the long-term health of your smile. If you have any questions about protecting your teeth or want to schedule your next checkup, please don’t hesitate to contact us at New Hyde Park Dental. We are here to help you smile with confidence!