Can Dental Crowns Improve Your Bite and Chewing Abilities?

When your teeth don’t function properly, eating becomes a challenge rather than a pleasure. Dental crowns can significantly enhance your bite alignment and chewing efficiency, transforming both the form and function of damaged or compromised teeth. These custom-fitted restorations don’t just restore appearance; they rebuild your teeth’s structural integrity to help you bite, chew, and speak with renewed confidence.

At Sopris Smiles, we understand how crucial proper bite function is to your daily life and overall oral health. Our cosmetic dentist in Englewood uses advanced CBCT scanning and CEREC digital technology to create crowns designed not just for aesthetics, but for optimal functionality that can dramatically improve how your teeth work together.

How Dental Crowns Restore Proper Bite Function

Your bite relies on precise tooth alignment and even pressure distribution across your dental surfaces. When teeth are damaged, worn down, or improperly shaped, your bite becomes unbalanced. Dental crowns restore proper tooth height and contour, allowing your upper and lower teeth to meet correctly during chewing.

Modern crown materials like porcelain and zirconia provide the durability needed to withstand normal biting forces while mimicking the natural flexibility of tooth enamel. This combination ensures your restored teeth can handle everything from soft fruits to tougher proteins without compromising function or comfort.

The crown placement process involves removing damaged tooth structure and reshaping the remaining tooth to support the new restoration. Our technology allows us to scan your bite digitally, ensuring your new crown integrates seamlessly with your existing teeth for optimal chewing performance.

Improved Chewing Efficiency with Crown Restorations

Damaged or misshapen teeth force you to compensate when chewing, often leading to inefficient food breakdown and digestive issues. Crowns restore the natural ridges and cusps of your teeth, providing the proper surfaces needed for thorough food processing.

When your teeth can’t properly break down food, your digestive system works harder to process inadequately chewed meals. This can lead to stomach discomfort and reduced nutrient absorption. Well-fitted crowns return your teeth to their intended function, allowing for proper food breakdown before swallowing.

Multiple crowns can work together to restore entire sections of your bite. Whether you need crowns on molars for better grinding action or front teeth for proper cutting function, each restoration contributes to overall chewing efficiency and digestive health.

Addressing Bite Problems Before They Worsen

Ignoring bite issues rarely leads to improvement. Uneven pressure from a compromised bite can cause additional teeth to crack, chip, or wear down prematurely. Jaw muscles may become strained from compensating for poorly aligned teeth, leading to temporomandibular joint (TMJ) problems and chronic pain.

Early crown placement can prevent these cascading problems. By restoring proper tooth height and shape quickly, crowns help maintain the natural balance of your bite and prevent further damage to surrounding teeth. This proactive approach often saves patients from costly emergency dental treatments later.

We also work with board-certified orthodontist Dr. Matt Stout through BeSmyle to ensure comprehensive treatment planning when needed. This collaborative approach means you receive the highest standard of care for all your dental needs, whether your bite issues require crowns alone or in combination with other treatments.

Materials That Support Long-Term Function

Today’s crown materials are engineered for both durability and functionality. Porcelain crowns provide excellent wear characteristics that closely match natural teeth, while zirconia offers superior strength for patients who grind their teeth or have particularly strong bite forces.

Your crown material choice affects how well the restoration integrates with your bite over time. Softer materials may wear down faster under heavy chewing forces, while overly hard materials might cause wear on opposing teeth. Our team considers your individual bite patterns and habits when recommending the most appropriate crown material for lasting function.

Some patients benefit from our Solea laser technology during crown preparation, which allows us to perform certain procedures without local anesthetic. This advanced approach is particularly beneficial for patients who experience anxiety about injections while needing crown work to restore their bite function.

Recovery and Adaptation Period

Most patients adapt to their new crowns within a few days to two weeks. During this period, your bite may feel different as your mouth adjusts to the restored tooth shape and height. Some minor bite adjustments during follow-up appointments ensure optimal comfort and function.

Temporary sensitivity is normal as your tooth and surrounding tissues adapt to the new restoration. This typically resolves as your bite settles into its improved alignment. Proper oral hygiene during recovery supports healing and helps your new crown integrate successfully with your existing teeth.

Maintaining Your Improved Bite Function

Regular dental checkups ensure your crowns continue supporting proper bite function over time. While crowns don’t decay, the underlying tooth and surrounding gum tissue require ongoing care to maintain the restoration’s stability and your bite’s integrity.

Professional cleanings help prevent gum disease around crowned teeth, which could compromise the crown’s fit and your bite alignment. During these visits, we also check your bite balance and make any necessary minor adjustments to maintain optimal function.

Ready to improve your bite and chewing abilities? Contact our team to schedule a consultation and discover how dental crowns can restore your teeth’s full functionality. At Sopris Smiles, we’re committed to helping you achieve optimal oral health and renewed confidence in your smile. Visit our practice to learn more about our patient-centered approach to comprehensive dental care.

Sopris Smiles is thrilled to welcome the patients of Dr. Gregory Bevans