Dental Crowns

Perfect Your Smile with Durable Dental Crowns

A damaged tooth or missing teeth can affect more than just your appearance—it can impact your oral health, confidence, and ability to eat and speak comfortably. At Smile Design Dentistry, we offer expertly crafted dental crowns that restore the strength, function, and beauty of your natural tooth.

Dental crowns are a long-lasting solution in modern dentistry, designed to protect weak teeth, replace eroded dentine, repair broken or cracked teeth, and enhance your smile. Whether you’re recovering from a root canal or need to replace a large filling, a crown can be the key to restoring your dental health.

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What Is A Dental Crown?

A dental crown is a custom-made cap that covers the entire visible portion of a damaged or decayed tooth. It restores the tooth’s shape, size, strength, and appearance—functioning just like your original enamel.

Crowns are designed to blend seamlessly with your natural teeth, allowing you to eat, speak, and smile with confidence. Whether you need a permanent crown or a temporary crown while your new crown is being crafted in a dental lab, Smile Design Dentistry ensures a smooth and comfortable experience.

How Do I Know If I Need a Dental Crown?

Dental crowns are a suitable option for patients with teeth that may be severely damaged cosmetically, but are otherwise healthy and do not have any periodontal issues. When you are concerned about saving your problematic tooth while adding strength and durability to your dentition at the same time, crowns can be an ideal solution.

You may need a dental crown if you’re experiencing any of the following:

• Protecting a weak tooth from breaking or holding together parts of a cracked tooth
• Restoring a broken tooth or one that’s been severely worn down
• Covering and supporting a tooth with a large filling and minimal remaining tooth structure
• Holding a dental bridge in place
• Covering misshapen or discolored teeth
• Capping a dental implant
• Making a cosmetic modification
• Protecting a decayed tooth after root canal treatment

Crowns are also used to restore molars, front teeth, and teeth affected by tooth decay, trauma, or wear.

What are the Different Types of Dental Crowns?

Crowns allow you to eat and speak normally, while also giving you an overall beautiful oral appearance. Choosing the right type of crown depends on your dental needs, aesthetic goals, and budget. Here are the most common types of dental crowns.

Ceramic and Porcelain Crowns

• Offer the most natural-looking color match
  Ideal for front teeth
• All-ceramic crowns are great for patients with metal allergies
• Blend beautifully with surrounding teeth for a seamless smile

Porcelain-Fused-to-Metal (PFM) Crowns

• Combine the strength of metal crowns with the aesthetics of porcelain crowns
• May show a dark line at the gum line over time
• Durable and widely used in restorative dentistry

Metal Alloys (Including Gold Alloy and Stainless Steel)

• Extremely durable and require less removal of tooth structure
• Ideal for molars and out-of-sight teeth
• Gold crowns and gold alloy options are long-lasting and biocompatible

Composite Resin Crowns

• More affordable but prone to wear and fractures
• Suitable for temporary use or less demanding areas
• Resin crowns offer a budget-friendly solution with moderate durability

Other Options

• Zirconia crowns: Highly durable and aesthetic
• Acrylic crowns: Lightweight and cost-effective
• Onlay restorations: Partial crowns that cover only part of the tooth
• Same-day crowns: Created using CAD/CAM technology for immediate placement

Your dentist will help you choose the best material based on your oral health, location of the tooth, and cosmetic preferences.

What Does the Dental Crown Procedure Involve?

The dental crown procedure typically takes place over two visits:

First Visit

• X-rays are taken to assess the existing tooth and surrounding tooth structure
• The damaged tooth is numbed with local anesthetic
• The prepared tooth is filed down to make room for the crown
• An impression is made and sent to the dental lab
• A temporary crown is placed to protect the tooth

Second Visit

• The temporary crown is removed
• The new crown is checked for fit, color, and bite alignment
• If everything looks good, the permanent crown is cemented in place

Some Smile Design Dentistry locations offer same-day crowns using advanced CAD/CAM technology, eliminating the need for a second visit.

How Long Does a Tooth Crown Last?

Dental crowns typically last between 5 to 15 years, depending on the material and care. Some crowns, like zirconia crowns, can last even longer.

Factors That Affect Longevity

• Oral hygiene: Regular brushing and floss
• Diet: Avoiding hard or sticky foods
• Bruxism: Teeth grinding can wear down crowns
• Location: Crowns on molars endure more pressure than those on front teeth

Maintaining good dental care habits and scheduling regular checkups will help extend the life of your crown.

How Much Does it Cost to Get a Dental Crown?

According to the Consumer Guide to Dentistry, one dental crown can cost anywhere from $1000 to $3,500, while dental bridges can cost anywhere from $3,000 to $5,000, on average. The rates for dental crowns and bridges vary from one provider to another and are influenced by a multitude of variables:

• Type of crown and material used
• Location of the tooth
• Complexity of the procedure
• Whether additional treatments like buildup or root canal are needed

Smile Design Dentistry works with most healthcare and dental insurance providers. We’ll help you understand your coverage and offer flexible payment options to make your care affordable.

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