If your smile is crucial, you are probably seeking a solution for your damaged tooth to restore your smile and confidence. Dental crowns are perfect as they repair damaged teeth' look, feel, and functionality. They are also readily available and affordable. But they come in varieties, primarily according to material and cost. You must understand the different types available and their pros and cons to choose the right dental crown for your needs. You must consider the price, too, especially if you are on a budget. A skilled dentist can help determine whether you need a dental crown for your damaged tooth. They will also help you understand how dental crowns work, your options, and how to make the right choice.
Why Choose a Dental Crown
Damaged teeth are a significant issue as they affect your look, confidence, and teeth’ functionality. Taking good care of your teeth can protect them from damage. But some damages, for example, those resulting from accidents and falls, are inevitable. Fortunately, a general dentist can advise you on restoring your damaged tooth's look, feel, and functionality. That will also restore your confidence and smile.
Dental crowns are an excellent solution for damaged teeth. They have been around longer, helping people with damaged teeth restore them and enjoy better-looking and functional teeth. Crowns are caps, shaped in the form of a tooth, that dentists install at the top of a damaged tooth. They cover and protect the tooth, restore its structure, and enable it to function like a natural tooth. If your front tooth is damaged and you have not been smiling confidently for a while, a dental crown can help you look and feel better quickly.
But your dentist must first examine your damaged tooth, the surrounding teeth, gums, and jawbone to determine your suitability for a dental crown. Here are some of the factors that could lead your dentist to suggest the installation of a dental crown:
A Large Filling
Dental fillings are recommended for teeth with minor damage. If you have minor tooth cavities on one or more teeth, your dentist can recommend dental fillings to cover the cavity and restore tooth function. The filling also protects the tooth from further damage.
However, a large filling is done in a larger cavity. It means that much of the natural tooth is damaged or lost. That leaves the remaining structure weak, affecting the tooth's functionality. Your dentist can recommend a dental crown for a large filling to restore the strength and functionality of the damaged tooth. It will also restore the look of the tooth, allowing you to smile broadly.
A Broken or Fractured Tooth
A severely damaged tooth will not look and function like a natural tooth. That is why dentists recommend a solution to restore the tooth's structure, look, and functionality. A dental crown is the ideal solution in this case. A crown protects and keeps the damaged tooth safe until its condition improves. A crown is strong and can withstand biting and chewing pressure, which a severely damaged tooth cannot. Thus, it helps you continue using your tooth even after damage.
Improved Aesthetics
How your teeth look is very important for your confidence and esteem. People suffer low self-esteem due to damaged teeth. You cannot smile or socialize confidently like you would if your teeth were in perfect condition. You can use a dental crown to restore your teeth' appearance and confidence. The crown will hide your damaged tooth from public view, giving you the confidence to socialize and enjoy life. Additionally, modern dentists can customize dental crowns to give you an exact look and feel that will boost your confidence.
Enamel Erosion
The enamel is solid and resistant to wear and tear. But some factors, like consuming acidic foods, can affect the enamel, resulting in damaged teeth. Dangerous bacteria can also cause enamel erosion, causing your teeth to become weak and dysfunctional. If not stopped on time, enamel erosion can expose your dentin and gums, making them vulnerable to oral infections. Dentists recommend dental crowns to protect teeth that are affected by enamel erosion. A crown protects your tooth from further deterioration and damage.
After a Root Canal
Dentists perform root canal therapy if an oral infection affects a tooth’s underlying structures or pulp. In this case, therapy includes removing the infected pulp, cleaning the entire area, and restoring the tooth to its original position. But your tooth does not remain the same after a root canal treatment. It is usually weaker and more vulnerable to infections. Your dentist can recommend a dental crown to protect the tooth and restore its structure and functionality. Like a natural tooth, your tooth becomes more robust and efficient.
Dental Crown Installation Process
If you are a possible candidate for a dental crown, your dentist will discuss it on your first visit. If you consider receiving a dental crown, your dentist will discuss the treatment process to ensure that you are well-prepared before you start the process. They will then allow you some time to make the final decision.
Dental crown installation only takes a few visits to the dentist. You will need to make a few visits before you finally receive a crown that will serve you for years. In most cases, dentists must custom-make a dental crown for their patients to ensure it matches the adjacent teeth and fits perfectly. The creation of a dental crown is done in a dental lab. The dentist will also need to prepare the damaged tooth for the installation. How long the entire process takes will depend on your dentist, any underlying oral or dental issues you have, and your preferred dental crown.
The process of receiving a dental crown is pretty straightforward. Here are some of the steps you will take to complete the treatment process:
- The dentist starts by preparing the damaged tooth to receive a crown. Preparation entails cleaning out the damaged tooth of decay and shaping the tooth. If the tooth is decayed, preparation ensures that the decay does not continue after the installation of a crown.
- The dentist then takes a mold of the damaged tooth to ensure the crown they create in the lab will fit perfectly. The mold takes the exact shape of the tooth, requiring a crown. The dentist will take the mold to a dental lab, where they will create a crown.
- Since creating a dental crown takes time, the dentist must think of a way to protect the prepared tooth to avoid damage and make it painless and comfortable. That is why they install a temporary crown on the tooth for the days before the crown. The temporary crown is less potent than the actual dental crown. You must take good care of it by, for example, not biting or chewing sticky or hard foods.
- Once your dental crown is ready, you will return to the dentist’s office for fitting and installation.
Types of Dental Crowns
When it comes to dental crowns, you have five options. Your dentist will guide you in making the right choice for your teeth and needs. The different types vary in cost, material, installation process, and patient preferences. Your five options are:
Gold Crowns
These are popular dental installations made from a combination of metals like copper and others like chromium and nickel. The combination creates a strong crown that can serve you for years. That is what makes gold crowns famous for their durability and strength.
Although they are ideal for back installations, your dentist can recommend a gold crown for a front tooth. Also, some people prefer gold crowns, even for the front teeth. Gold crowns work very well, regardless of where they are installed.
However, they are not a good choice for people skeptical about having a tooth that appears different from the others. The color makes them less popular with people who worry about their appearance. Gold crowns could be more aesthetically pleasing.
The advantages include:
- Their strength and high resistance guarantee you more extended service.
- They can serve you for an even longer period if you take good care of them.
- Your dentist does not need to remove much of your original tooth to install a gold dental crown. Thus, it helps you preserve much of your tooth.
- Even though they eventually wear down, the process is slow, just like the enamel of your natural teeth.
- Gold crowns are perfect for posterior dental restorations. They can work very well for your damaged molars.
Here are a few disadvantages to note:
- Gold crowns are not the most aesthetically pleasing dental restorations around because they do not look like natural teeth.
- A combination of metals can affect you if you are allergic to some. You could experience unpleasant symptoms like swelling and other allergic reactions after installation.
All Porcelain Dental Crowns
Porcelain crowns are the most sought-after dental restorations. They are made from all-porcelain material, which has the color and texture of natural teeth. Dental patients who prefer a restoration that looks and feels the same as a natural tooth will consider an all-porcelain dental crown. Here are some of the advantages you will enjoy with these:
- Ceramic and porcelain dental crowns give the most natural and best look to people whose natural teeth have suffered damage. The material matches your natural teeth and can be shaped to fit the adjacent teeth in size, color, and shape. Unless you tell them, it will be hard for anyone to know you have had a dental restoration.
- Porcelain crowns are perfect for restoring the front teeth. They can be customized to look like your natural teeth so that you can smile confidently.
- They are safe and biocompatible since they contain no metal. Thus, they will not affect you in any way, even if you suffer from allergies.
Here are some of their disadvantages for your consideration as you make the final decision:
- When compared to metal crowns, porcelain dental crowns are less strong. They will not serve you for as many years as metal crowns. You must take excellent care of them to enjoy more extended service.
- If you have bruxism (a condition where you unconsciously clench or grind your teeth), you can quickly damage your porcelain crown. The best option for you would be the gold metal crown.
- Porcelain dental crowns are also costly, even more so than metal crowns. You could reconsider your decision if you are working on a tight budget.
Porcelain-Fused-to-Metal Dental Crowns
These are also prevalent types of crowns. It is because they combine the strength of metal with the aesthetics of a porcelain coat. With these, you can enjoy the long-term use of a dental crown that appears and feels like a natural tooth. Here are some of their advantages:
- The porcelain part of the crown gives it the appearance of a natural tooth, giving you the aesthetic you need to enjoy your dental restoration discreetly.
- The metal part of the crown makes the restoration solid and durable. It can serve you very well if you take good care of it.
- Since these dental crowns have been around for a very long time (over fifty years), you can be assured that they function well.
- They are not as expensive as all-porcelain or gold-metal dental crowns.
However, there are some disadvantages you should consider before choosing PFM dental crowns. They include:
- The metal part of these crowns can create a grayish line on your gum line after some time. Thus, a PFM crown cannot give you the absolute aesthetic appeal you can receive from an all-porcelain crown.
- PFM dental crowns are not strong enough to handle tooth clenching and grinding. If you have bruxism, consider another option.
Zirconia Dental Crowns
These are made from new materials in the industry that seek to combine the aesthetics of porcelain and the strength of metal. You can opt for a high, translucent or layered crown, which is very popular today. Here are some of the reasons why people have ditched the traditional metal and porcelain crowns for zirconia:
- A zirconia crown provides better aesthetics than all other types of dental crowns.
- These crowns are strong and durable. They are less likely to break or chip.
- The process of making and installing them is shorter and more time-saving. The zirconia material is versatile. The dentist can cut and shape it in their office without the need to have the crown made in a dental lab.
- Since they are solid, these crowns do not wear out easily.
- They are also biocompatible, so are less likely to provoke an allergic reaction.
The disadvantages include the following:
- Due to their strength, they can quickly wear down other teeth they come into contact with.
- A solid zirconia material is challenging to adjust.
Lithium Disilicate Dental Crowns (E-Max)
These are the newest dental crowns in the industry. E-max dental crowns are all-ceramic made from lithium disilicate. The thin, light material gives you a perfect look and feel after restoration. E-max has several advantages, including the following:
- They give you great aesthetics. You will love how great they look in the mouth.
- They are solid and durable.
- You can use them for front or back teeth restorations.
The disadvantages include the following:
- They are costly, especially for dentists. Some dentists will transfer the cost to you, but others will bear it all.
- Some dentists have experienced problems installing E-max dental crowns, especially when restoring several back teeth in a row. Since they are still very new, dentists must gain experience handling them to achieve a perfect installation.
How Costly Are Dental Crowns?
The cost is a crucial factor to consider when considering a dental crown for your damaged tooth. Typically, the cost of crowns depends on several factors.
The material used in making the crown is the top-most factor. That makes all-metal and gold-metal crowns more expensive than PFMs.
The process of making the crown also determines its overall cost. Some materials, like zirconia, are straightforward to work with. The overall price of zirconia crowns will be lower than crowns that take days or weeks to create.
The restoration cost will also depend on other treatments or procedures you require before the restoration; for example, if you need a core buildup to protect the tooth’s integrity before placing the crown or if the dentist must perform gum surgery to achieve a better tooth prognosis before restoration. Some patients require tooth canal treatment before a dental crown. All these treatments and procedures will raise the general cost of dental crown installation.
Before receiving a dental crown, you should visit your dentist to discuss your options and the treatments and procedures required. That way, you will know and plan for the amount you need for the entire process.
Find a Skilled Tarzana Dentist Near Me
Do you have one or more damaged teeth and seek the best restorative treatment in Tarzana?
Your dentist can recommend a dental crown to restore the tooth's structure, shape, and functionality. But they must first discuss your options and help you make the right choice for your needs. We also discuss the price of dental crowns with our patients at Tarzana Dental Care. We ensure you have all the information you need to make an informed decision. Call us at 818-708-3232 to discuss dental crowns and your treatment needs.