Do you have teeth that are showing clear signs of decay? Do you have a tooth that is cracked or otherwise damaged? While tooth extraction is an obvious option, there is another consideration to keep in mind if you would like to try and keep your natural teeth. Here's why you might want to talk to your dentist about dental crowns.

Dental Crowns Are Caps

A dental crown is a cap that is placed on top of or over a damaged natural tooth. Your dentist will help create a custom cap that is the perfect fit for the tooth in question. Dental crowns are designed to look like natural teeth so once the cap is in place, people should not know the difference unless you tell them.

Dental Crowns Protect Natural Teeth

Dental crowns can help you save your natural teeth. By placing a cap over your natural tooth, you prevent any further decay from happening. You'll also be able to use that tooth to continue chewing even if the tooth was chipped or slightly cracked. If you don't want to end up with a tooth extraction that leaves a gap in your smile, a dental crown can go a long way toward helping you keep the teeth you still have.

Dental Crowns Can Fix Your Smile

If your teeth are decayed or cracked and it's obvious you are in a state of poor dental health, you might not be super quick to smile when it's time to take photos or when laughing at a joke. Once your dental crowns are installed, your smile will be restored and you'll have the confidence you need to open your mouth while out in public or spending time with friends.

Dental Crowns Can Help You Eat

Decayed or cracked teeth can also make the act of chewing quite miserable. If you feel pain in a certain area of your mouth due to a damaged tooth, putting a dental crown over that tooth as a cap can allow you to chew normally again. You can just enjoy your meal instead of having to always ensure you are chewing on one side of your mouth.

Dental Crowns Can Save Your Jawbone

Dental crowns can let you keep your natural teeth as previously described but another benefit that comes from this is that crowns can save your jawbone in the long run too. That's because when natural teeth are extracted, your body may let your jawbone in that area of your mouth start to weaken. Your body essentially thinks it's no longer necessary since there's no tooth over there. But a dental crown lets you keep your natural tooth in place and that means your jawbone should remain as well.