Dental implants vs. dental crowns: what’s the difference?

Oh no, not again, you have a tooth problem. Whether it’s a broken denture giving you some serious aching pain, or a weak tooth that is feeling unpleasantly sensitive, one of life’s unfortunate unpleasantries is that of a dental condition.

So, if you are one of the unlucky ones experiencing a tooth problem then you may be wondering what type of procedures you have at your behest. However, the dental world has come a seriously long way and now has a giant myriad of life-changing (and improving!) procedures at your disposal.

Whether it’s the best dental crown Melbourne has available, or an imperative oral implant, you have many options to choose from. But what are these two particular procedures, and what are their differences when it comes to significantly improving your oral health and hygiene?

Let’s take a look below:

Are they the same thing?

It can be difficult to keep up with all the different procedures and their attributed terminology, especially if you don’t work in the industry. This is especially so when certain words are used interchangeably and others are not, bringing patients into a world of confusing dentistry jargon that can be overwhelming to the uninitiated.

Naturally, one of the most common confusions regards the difference between dental implants and crowns (aka “caps”). But it’s important to know, especially for the sake of your oral health, that they are not the same thing, and in fact they are two different procedures which offer some similar life-changing results but are fundamentally different in their foundation.

So, what are implants?

Dental implants are prosthetic roots that work in a similar way to a natural root. They are installed directly into the jaw, combining with the bone in a manner that can have them last an entire lifespan.

Comprising titanium roots, this hospital-grade material is frequently used to replace bodily joints after injury. They are incredibly biocompatible, and promote new bone growth around the installation once it is emplaced in the jaw.

Once the implant is securely installed, an abutment is then positioned directly on top of the implant. The abutment is there to promote permanent restoration, and is directly screwed into an opening which sits atop the implant. They may be used to support a bridge, the full arch of teeth, or a quality cap, which we will now discuss…

Dental crowns

Dental crowns, conversely, are made to look like a real tooth that sits above the gum line. They do not anchor themselves independently in place or extend below the gums. Instead, they are placed over a restorable tooth, including a tooth that has undergone root canal surgery, experienced severe tooth decay or has suffered a serious fracture.

Such caps are enlisted when fillings simply don’t get the job done, and this is due to the significance of the damage done to the tooth. As these caps cover the whole tooth surface above the gum lines, they offer tooth protection from further decay that biting or chewing causes.

They are typically made from porcelain fused metal or simply porcelain alone. The crown’s porcelain is colour-matched to appear to be like the shade of your tooth, ensuring you won’t have to worry about the colour looking off. They are also incredibly durable, easily lasting for many years or an entire lifespan.

So, this is the difference between these two imperative health procedures, and we hope that by going into them a little further you can make a trusty decision on which is perfect for you.