When You Might Need a Dental Crown
Protecting Broken or Damaged Teeth
A broken tooth or damaged tooth from injury or trauma often requires crown protection to prevent further fracture and restore normal function. The crown acts as a protective shell, holding together the remaining tooth structure while allowing you to bite and chew normally. Whether you’ve chipped a tooth in an accident or experienced a fracture from biting something hard, a custom crown can restore both the strength and appearance of your natural tooth.
Restoring Teeth After Root Canal Treatment
Following root canal therapy, the tooth structure becomes more brittle due to the removal of the inner pulp. A dental crown provides essential protection for these treated teeth, preventing fractures and extending the tooth’s lifespan for many years. The crown restoration ensures your root canal-treated tooth can withstand normal chewing forces without risk of breaking.
Replacing Large or Failing Fillings
When decay affects a significant portion of your tooth or when an existing large filling begins to fail, a crown may become necessary to properly protect the remaining tooth structure. Dental fillings work well for smaller cavities, but extensive damage requires the comprehensive coverage and strength that only a crown can provide. This approach preserves more of your natural tooth than extraction and replacement options.
Addressing Discolored or Misshapen Teeth
Beyond structural protection, crowns also serve cosmetic purposes for severely discolored teeth that don’t respond to whitening treatments or for teeth with unusual shapes. The porcelain or ceramic material provides excellent color matching and can be shaped to improve both function and aesthetics, contributing to an attractive smile makeover when needed.
Types of Dental Crowns We Offer
All-Porcelain and Ceramic Crowns
All-porcelain crowns and ceramic crowns provide the most natural appearance, making them ideal for front teeth where aesthetics are paramount. These metal-free restorations offer excellent translucency and color matching, blending seamlessly with your natural teeth. The ceramic material closely mimics tooth enamel in both appearance and light-reflecting properties, creating restorations virtually indistinguishable from your original teeth.
Zirconia Crowns
Zirconia crowns combine exceptional strength with natural aesthetics, making them an excellent choice for back teeth that experience significant chewing forces. These crowns offer superior durability compared to traditional porcelain while maintaining a tooth-colored appearance. The material’s strength allows for thinner crown construction, meaning less natural tooth structure needs to be removed during preparation.
Porcelain Fused to Metal Crowns
Porcelain fused to metal crowns offer the aesthetic benefits of porcelain with the structural support of a metal substructure. The metal core provides excellent strength and durability, while the porcelain outer layer ensures a natural appearance. This combination makes PFM crowns a cost-effective option for molars where strength is essential but some metal may be visible along the gum line.
Metal Crowns
Gold and metal crowns provide maximum durability and longevity, often lasting decades with proper care. These crowns require minimal tooth removal during preparation and are gentle on opposing teeth during chewing. While less aesthetically pleasing for visible areas, metal crowns remain an excellent choice for back molars where strength and longevity are priorities over appearance.
The Dental Crown Procedure
First Appointment: Preparation and Impressions
During your initial visit, Dr. Pauley carefully prepares your tooth by removing any decay and shaping the natural tooth structure to accommodate the crown. We take precise digital impressions of your prepared tooth, surrounding teeth, and bite relationship, ensuring your final crown will fit perfectly and function naturally. A temporary crown is placed to protect your tooth while the dental laboratory crafts your custom permanent crown over the following two to three weeks.
Laboratory Fabrication Period
Your impressions are sent to skilled dental technicians at our trusted dental laboratory, where your custom crown is meticulously crafted to Dr. Pauley’s exact specifications. The laboratory carefully matches the crown’s color, shape, and size to blend seamlessly with your natural teeth. This fabrication process typically takes two to three weeks, during which your temporary crown protects the prepared tooth.
Second Appointment: Permanent Crown Placement
Once your permanent crown arrives from the laboratory, you’ll return to our office for final placement. Dr. Pauley removes the temporary crown, thoroughly cleans the prepared tooth, and carefully positions your custom crown to ensure proper fit, bite alignment, and comfort. After making any necessary adjustments, the crown is permanently bonded to your tooth using dental cement, completing your restoration with a result designed to last for many years.
CEREC® Same-Day Crown Technology
What Is CEREC® Technology?
CEREC® stands for Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramics, a state-of-the-art system that allows dentists to design, create, and place dental crowns in a single appointment. Unlike traditional crown procedures requiring multiple visits and temporary crowns, CEREC® uses computer-aided design (CAD) and computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) technology to fabricate custom ceramic crowns right in our office while you wait. This innovative approach combines digital impressions, 3D modeling, and precision milling to deliver same-day dental crowns without compromising quality or durability.
The CEREC® Same-Day Crown Process
The same-day crown procedure begins with tooth preparation, followed by digital scanning using an intraoral camera rather than traditional impression materials. The CEREC® software creates a precise 3D model of your tooth, which Dr. Pauley uses to design your custom crown while you wait. This digital design is sent to an in-office milling unit that carves your crown from a solid block of high-quality ceramic material in approximately 15 to 20 minutes. The completed crown is then fitted, adjusted for proper bite alignment, and permanently bonded to your tooth, all in one convenient appointment lasting about an hour.
Benefits of Same-Day Dental Crowns
Same-day CEREC® crowns offer significant advantages for patients with busy schedules or those who prefer to complete their dental crown placement in one visit. The elimination of temporary crowns means no risk of uncomfortable temporary restorations becoming loose or falling out while you wait for your permanent crown. Digital impressions provide superior accuracy compared to traditional impression materials, resulting in crowns that fit more precisely. The high-quality ceramic materials used in CEREC® crowns are durable, biocompatible, and closely match the appearance and strength of natural tooth enamel, providing results that can last 10 to 15 years or more with proper care.
Caring for Your Dental Crown
Daily Maintenance and Oral Hygiene
Dental crowns require the same conscientious care as your natural teeth to ensure longevity and optimal function. Brush twice daily with fluoride toothpaste, paying special attention to the area where the crown meets your gum line. Floss carefully around your crown daily to remove plaque and food particles that can lead to decay in the remaining tooth structure beneath the restoration. These simple habits protect both your crown and the supporting tooth, helping your restoration last for many years.
Protecting Your Crown Investment
Avoid habits that can damage your dental crown, such as chewing ice, biting fingernails, or using your teeth to open packages. If you grind your teeth at night, discuss wearing a nightguard to protect both your crown and natural teeth from excessive wear. Hard or sticky foods should be chewed carefully, and you should avoid biting directly into very hard items with crowned front teeth. These precautions help prevent chips, cracks, or loosening of your crown.
Regular Dental Visits and Monitoring
Maintain regular dental visits for professional cleanings and examinations so Dr. Pauley can monitor your crown’s condition and the health of the surrounding teeth and gums. These appointments allow early detection of any issues with your crown or the underlying tooth structure, preventing small problems from becoming larger concerns. Professional cleanings remove buildup around the crown margins that home care alone cannot address, protecting your investment and oral health.
Dental Crown Cost and Insurance Coverage
The cost of a dental crown varies based on several factors, including the material selected, tooth location, and whether additional procedures like buildup or post placement are needed. We provide detailed cost estimates during your consultation, ensuring you understand all associated fees before beginning treatment. Many dental insurance plans cover a portion of crown costs, typically around 50 percent, when the procedure is deemed medically necessary rather than purely cosmetic.
Our practice works with most dental insurance providers and our team is happy to help you understand your coverage and maximize your benefits. For patients without insurance or those requiring assistance with out-of-pocket costs, we offer flexible financing options through our in-house membership plan. These payment arrangements make quality restorative care accessible and affordable for patients who need dental crowns to protect their natural teeth and restore their smiles.
