Crowns

What are dental crowns?

A dental crown fits over the surface of your own tooth, effectively serving as a replacement for the enamel. If your tooth is chipped, cracked, worn, broken, or has damage along the outside, a dental crown replaces that outer surface, akin to getting a car repainted when its outer paint is chipped or cracked.

Is a crown the same as a root canal?

No, a root canal involves the very center of the tooth, the core, whereas a crown replaces or repairs the outer portion of the tooth.

What are the alternatives to dental crowns?

The alternative to a dental crown would be, in most cases, to do nothing. Another option might be to do a partial crown. When considering restorative dental options, onlays and inlays are less extensive than crowns. These treatments typically replace only the damaged or missing portion of a tooth. Onlays and inlays can be highly successful, similar to crowns, but they may require more precise technique.

If you're interested in these options, it's advisable to discuss with your dentist the possibility of a partial crown, such as an onlay or inlay, to replace just the affected area of your tooth. Your dentist can guide you through the decision-making process and inform you whether this approach is suitable for your specific dental condition, or if it's not recommended for certain reasons.

What types of dental crowns are there?

There are many different materials for dental crowns but the most common is a porcelain-based material. Most patients prefer their teeth to look natural and are not interested in gold or silver for dental crowns.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of each material?

White porcelain colored material has become more reliable as its strength has improved over time. It's more predictable to use this material. Some patients may prefer gold material for their crowns, but it has drawbacks such as increased cost and a longer turnaround time.

Is a crown necessary after a root canal?

Yes, in most cases, a crown is necessary after a root canal. The crown protects the outside of the tooth, which is typically needed after the inside has been fixed with a root canal.

What does the dental crown procedure involve?

The dental crown procedure is quite straightforward these days and involves two appointments. The first appointment is a bit longer. During this session, any damage to the tooth, such as infection in the case of a cavity or other issues, is addressed. The affected part is removed, corrected, and rebuilt. At the end of this appointment, you will leave with a temporary crown in place. This temporary crown is designed to resemble your natural tooth and is made from a high-strength material, but it isn't the permanent solution. For about 14 days, you should take it easy with this temporary crown.

After this period, you return for the second appointment, which is shorter. During this visit, we remove the temporary crown and try on the permanent one. We ensure that it looks good, fits well with your other teeth, and is perfectly sealed around the edges. Once everything is satisfactory, we use a special adhesive to secure the crown in place, effectively making it a part of your dental structure. After this, you are free to chew on anything you like with your newly installed crown.

Is the procedure uncomfortable or painful?

In response to whether the dental crown procedure is painful, the answer is typically no, but some discomfort may be experienced. It's important to remember that this isn't a pleasant or entertaining appointment. However, if you have a damaged tooth, it's often the damage itself that is causing you pain or discomfort. Addressing and correcting this issue, thereby restoring the tooth to a better condition, usually results in the tooth feeling better.

Avoiding dental treatment due to concerns about discomfort is not advisable. If left untreated, the damage can worsen. For example, a cavity could enlarge, or the root could become infected, leading to more severe discomfort. Therefore, it's important to set aside these fears. When you come in for your appointment, we will ensure that you are perfectly comfortable. We will explain each step of the dental crown process and guide you through it. Ultimately, you'll leave feeling better than when you arrived.

What's the result of getting a crown?

Getting a dental crown leaves your tooth in a better condition than when you came in. If your tooth was chipped, cracked, decayed, broken, or discolored, the crown restores the outer covering of the tooth.

Is it worth putting children's teeth in crowns?

Yes, it is often beneficial to put children's teeth in crowns. However, pediatric patients usually get silver crowns, which are typically used on back teeth but can sometimes be used for front teeth as well. When parents express concerns about dental crowns for their children, particularly regarding whether the crown will look different, it's important to focus on the health and condition of the tooth. If the tooth is damaged and needs repair, a dental crown is often the most appropriate solution. Crowns are successful, minimally invasive, and cause the least trouble both for the child and for the long-term health of the tooth.

If a dental crown has been recommended for your child, it's advisable to proceed with the treatment without delay. There is no reason to avoid it. As a professional, I would have no hesitation in opting for a dental crown for my own children if they needed one. The priority is to address the dental issue effectively and ensure the overall well-being of your child's oral health.

Do crowns look like normal teeth?

The advancements in dental technology have made it remarkably possible for crowns to mimic natural teeth, especially those in the front. When we perform custom shade matching, we take photographs of the tooth under various lighting conditions. We then compare these images to an array of color samples. This process allows us to precisely match the color, shade, shape, and character of the natural teeth.

The ability to replicate the appearance of natural teeth with dental crowns is impressive. In most cases, a well-crafted dental crown can look just as good as a natural tooth. This level of detail and accuracy in matching the natural characteristics of teeth demonstrates the strides made in dental aesthetics. I encourage you to come and see for yourself the capabilities we have in creating dental crowns that blend seamlessly with your natural teeth.

Can you get cavities on crown teeth?

While the crown itself cannot get a cavity because it's made of artificial material, like porcelain, a cavity can still form where the crown ends and the natural tooth begins.

How should I take care of my dental crown?

You should take care of your dental crown just as you would your natural teeth. This includes brushing and flossing regularly, not using your teeth as tools, and avoiding biting into anything too hard.

How long can you expect a dental crown to last?

The lifespan of dental crowns varies, ranging from a couple of years to a lifetime. The majority of crowns last from 10 to 15 to 20 years or more with regular maintenance.

Does insurance cover dental crowns?

Most insurance plans do cover a portion of the cost for dental crowns. However, it's rare to find a dental plan that covers the entire cost of the crown.

How can I schedule an appointment for a dental crown?

If you need a crown, or are concerned that you might, you can schedule an appointment by giving us a call at 503-786-3000.

What is a dental crown?

A dental crown is an artificial covering over the outside of your tooth. The inside of the tooth has the pulp, the nerve, the next layer is dentin, and the outside is enamel. If you have a tooth that's damaged, if part of the enamel is broken away, chipped, compromised, or if it doesn't have a strong foundation underneath it, you might need that armor replaced. In dental terms, we can remove the rest of the defect area and replace the artificial outside over a tooth. So when people ask, what is a crown or what is a cap, they are the outside replacement layer that goes over the surface of a tooth.

How long will my crown last?

It depends on a couple of things, mostly, how strong is the underlying tooth structure. For most patients, the average crown can last a decade or more, but there are situations where it would be shorter than that.

One of the biggest factors is how strong the underlying tooth is. If you have a strong root and mostly good structure and we're just replacing or repairing the outer portion, you can expect that to last 10 years or more. But a typical crown, expect that to last somewhere in the neighborhood of about 10 years.

How do I take care of a new dental crown?

Treat it like you would treat any other tooth that you like, which is keep it clean, and don't use your tooth as a tool, don't bite into anything too hard. If you brush it, floss it, clean it, and you don't abuse it, it's going to last a long time, just like the rest of your teeth.

Do crowns hurt?

Sometimes dental work can come with discomfort. But with today's technology and keeping you numb and comfortable, most of that discomfort is going to come afterwards, and it's in the form of soreness. So if you're okay with some soreness, then the answer is, you'll be just fine after a dental crown without anything exceptional afterwards.

Are crowns used for cosmetic dentistry?

Yes, absolutely. We can use crowns, we can also use veneers, and there are other things that we can use as well. It's important to think about what you want them to do. If just the front side of the tooth needs to be changed, and the back side is in good shape, it's healthy, it's not chipped or cracked, then you might be a great candidate for a veneer. But on the other hand, if there's already existing work, if there's old fillings in that area, or if just some of the damaged area goes between those teeth, then it's most likely that you'd use something like a crown to cover the surface of it.

How long does it take to recover after crown placement?

The recovery after crown placement is really straightforward if you're nice to the tooth and the gums. It may be a little bit sore, but you're doing just fine. What we ask you to do is stick with a regular diet, clean it like you would normally clean it, floss it like you would normally floss it, and overall be nice to it. So the recovery is really quick, feel free to use it as soon as you walk out the front door.

What's the difference between a crown and a veneer?

Crowns and veneers are really similar to each other, and it just depends how much of the tooth that we're covering. So if you have a tooth that's damaged and chipped just on the front side or just on its edge, you might be a great candidate for a veneer. On the other hand, if you have damage that goes around the tooth, if there's already been prior work on the tongue side of that tooth, then what might be better is something that totally covers the outside of the tooth, that acts like a cap or a crown or a jacket. The best person to determine if that's necessary is your dentist.