A Teenager's Guide to Braces

Porcelain is a commonly-used material for dental crowns for a number of reasons. For starters, porcelain tends to best mimic the look and feel of a person's natural teeth. Also, porcelain is known for its extremely durable qualities. Still, even though porcelain dental crowns may be durable, this doesn't mean they're completely indestructible.

If you're planning on getting a porcelain dental crown in the near future, there are some important do's and don'ts you'll need to follow in terms of caring for your new crown:

DO Consider a Bite-Guard

If you have a tendency to clench down or grind your teeth, whether it's while you sleep or during times of high stress, you'll want to talk to your dentist about the possibility of wearing a custom-fit bite-guard device.

This is a device that can be worn while you sleep or during other periods throughout the day to protect your teeth from damage caused by clenching or grinding. This is especially important if you have porcelain dental crowns, as pressure from teeth-grinding or clenching can quickly cause damage or other wear and tear.

DO Avoid Temperature Extremes

Porcelain is a durable material, but it can become weak when it's exposed to extremes in temperature. Therefore, you should do your best to avoid extremely hot or cold foods and beverages after you receive your dental crowns.

If you simply can't go without that ice cream sundae or can't live without your morning cup of hot tea, do your best to keep hot and cold foods/beverages away from the crown itself, if at all possible. This might mean drinking your tea through a straw, but doing so could save you a lot of discomfort and money in dental bills down the road--so it'll be worth it.

DON'T Use Teeth to Open Packaging

Finally, never use teeth with porcelain crowns to open things, such as bottles or plastic packaging. This will put a large amount of pressure on your teeth and may eventually cause the porcelain to crack or become chipped. On that note, you should also avoid biting your fingernails, chewing on pencils (a nervous habit for some), chewing on ice in your drinks, or eat hard candy when you have porcelain dental crowns.

By keeping this in mind, you'll keep your dental crowns looking great and save yourself the hassle (and expense) of needing premature dental crown replacement in the process. To learn more, contact a company like Wigwam Dental Care with any questions you have.