Dental Crowns Explained: Types, Costs, Procedure & Aftercare
Chipping tooth is never anyone's favorite thing as it usually means a hefty dental visit to follow. If the tooth can be saved a crown is a common recommendation for many to protect the integrity of the tooth.
Some would you should get it? Is it safe? What is it made of or how is it made? Well in this outline we will aim to explain all of that to give you the most in depth look into the crown procedures.
After this read you should be able to make the most in depth decision about crowns. Any additional questions and our team will be happy to help!
What is a Dental Crown?
The definition of dental crowns found on Cleveland Clinic states that,
A dental crown is a tooth-shaped cap that restores a decayed, broken, weak or worn-down tooth. Dentists also use crowns to cover dental implants and root canal-treated teeth. Made from a variety of materials, including metal, resin and porcelain, crowns last between five and 15 years with proper care.
To simplify everything into a few words, a dental crown is a hard hat for your tooth. Like how a hard hat protects construction workers at a workplace, dental crowns helps to protect your tooth. But like all dangerous construction sites have signs mandating the use of hard hats when would you need a dental crown?
When would you need a Dental Crown?
Dental crowns are necessary for the following cases:
-
Strengthen a weakened tooth
-
Reinforce and protect a cracked tooth
-
Restoration of a broken or worn-down tooth
-
Cover a severely discolored or stained tooth
-
Cover a root canal tooth
-
Finishing of a dental implant
Most commonly it is done as reinforcement and restoration of a root canal tooth or broken tooth. It is also common for a crown to be recommended for severe discoloration. Dental crowns are included in our dental packages for implants, for more information you can check out the dental implant section under services!
However, just like how there are many types of helmets and hard hats, there are any many types of dental crowns you can choose from, lets go over them.
While it does protect your tooth the way that it is placed on your tooth is unlike how you would put on a regular hat.
Types of Dental Crown?
Metal crowns: Dental crowns made out of metallic materials ranging from gold, palladium, platinum or other metal alloys.
-
Pros
-
Highly durable, rarely chips or breaks
-
Lasts the longest and can withstand biting and chewing forces the best
-
Requires less enamel removal to be placed
-
-
Cons
-
Metallic in color which makes it stand out
-
Not customizable in terms of color, can vary type of metal used.
-
3 Metal Crowns arranged from most common to least common
-
Base Metal Alloys
-
Mix of possible materials include nickel, chromium, titanium, gold, silver, platinum, copper, palladium or tin. Metallic look resembling stainless steel and more affordable crown compared to platinum crowns.
-
-
Gold Crown
-
Great for durability, less likely to cause allergic reactions, resistance to corrosion and has good marginal fit. Benefit it looks much better compared to normal metal crowns.
-
-
Platinum Crowns
-
Super high durability and longevity, very shiny and corrosive resistant. Negative drawback is that they cost more than typical crowns and have the metallic look.
-
Porcelain-fused-to-metal (PFM)/ Porcelain crowns: Dental crowns that combine durability of metal with natural look of porcelain.
-
Pros
-
Durable as they last almost as long as metal crowns.
-
Customizable as you can choose the color that best match your teeth.
-
Can restore both front and back teeth as their colors can blend in easier and not stand out like metal crowns
-
-
Cons
-
Porcelain coating may chip off over time gradually exposing the metal. This materializes a dark line/discoloration on the gumline.
-
May grind down your enamel on your opposing teeth
-
Ceramic Crowns: Crowns that are made completely of some type of ceramic material
-
Pros
-
Natural looking appearance similar to your natural tooth colors
-
Avoids those who have metal allergies
-
High resistance to temperature changes, this can mitigate temperature sensitivities
-
-
Cons
-
More susceptible to fractures in patients with habits like grinding.
-
More of the tooth need to be removed to ensure a proper fit
-
Costs more than PFM crowns and metal crowns (not gold)
-
Zirconia Crowns: Dental crowns made of Zirconium dioxide which is a type of ceramic material.
-
Pros
-
Strength and durable as it is resistant to chipping and normal wear and tear.
-
Well tolerated by the body as it is unlikely to cause allergic reactions
-
Aesthetically pleasing as it closely resembles natural tooth color
-
-
Cons
-
Opaque appearance makes it look more less natural compared to ceramic or porcelain. This is especially prominent if it is a full zirconia crown that was not made with any other types of ceramic or metal.
-
Full zirconia crown will be more pricey than the average crowns. Usually price can range between $1500-$2000.
-
3D printed crowns: Crowns composed of part resin and part ceramic/porcelain material. Relatively new technology for crowns and not currently offered by London Sherwood Dental Care
-
Pros
-
Quick and easy to make and can be made in office without having to be manufactured in a lab
-
Cheap, far cheaper than other crowns.
-
-
Cons
-
Weaker than most crowns as well as being brittle. Due to the 3D printed crowns being relatively new it is not a recommended option unless the other options are too expensive to afford. The composition of the material is at maximum about 70-80% ceramic material. It's strength is not yet that of other crowns.
-
Dental Crown Procedure
The dental crown procedure consists of two steps.
Step 1: Preparing your tooth, dental impression/3D scans & temporary crown placement
Step 2: Removal of temporary crown and installation of dental crown.
Once the type of dental crowns has been selected, now it comes time to prepare the tooth for the crown placement. Dental crowns can't be placed directly on top of the tooth as it would cause your bite to feel higher than normal. To avoid this parts of the tooth has to be trimmed down to allow for the best fit for a dental crown, hence the name preparation step.
First Visit/Step 1
Preparation:
In this step, part of the natural enamel will be trimmed down by a dental drill until it has met the specific requirements for the dental crown of choice. For metal crowns less of the tooth is required to be removed while more of the enamel would be removed for ceramic crowns. If major parts of the tooth is missing, parts of the tooth will be built up again before trimming it down to the desired size. This is all to create a strong foundation for the crown to ensure it stays tightly bonded.
Dental Impression/3D Scans
Next, an impression will be needed of your tooth to ensure that we have a model of your prepared tooth to work with. The office utilizes digital impression techniques which allows us to get a 3D scan of your teeth with a handheld scanner; the i-Tero scanner. If the scanner is malfunctioning then a manual impression would be taken with putty like material that will be placed into your mouth and allowed to harden. It is possible that this step would have to be repeated if the dentist is not satisfied with the clearance to the other tooth. In this case the dentist will trim again and scan again to ensure that you have the best fit possible. Once this impression is taken or scanned in it is sent to a technician for the crown to be fabricated.
Temporary Crown:
The time it takes for a crown to be made ranges from 1-2 weeks in the meantime a temporary crown will be placed. This is because the trimmed teeth are weaker to sensitivity, decay or further damage, plus it doesn't look the best. The temporary crown made out of resin will be placed on the trimmed tooth until the dental crown is made.
Second Visit/Step 2
Removal of Temporary Crown
On the second visit, the temporary dental crown will be removed for the lab made dental crown. The tooth will go through one final check to ensure that nothing about the tooth has changed. Then the crown is bonded to the trimmed tooth using dental cement. After this step your dental crown procedure is finished.
Maintenance of Dental Crowns
After the crown is put in, maintenance is still important. What that means is that continue with your regular brushing at least twice a day and flossing at least once a day. While the crown can be compared to a tooth's hardhat, the hardhat would not save you from other injuries that doesn't aim for the hardhat. Cavities on the sides of the tooth can still happen which is why flossing is important to ensure the longevity of your crown.
Regular dental cleanings once every 6 month is also important to get rid of stuff that you can't brush away especially bacteria further down the gumline. This ensures that your crown can last for as long as possible and maintains the overall periodontal health of your teeth.
What is a Dental Bridge?
Dental bridges are usually two crowns with a connecting prosthetic tooth in the middle. This is used to fill in the gap left by a missing tooth. Teeth adjacent to the missing tooth will be trimmed to ensure that the bridge fits. Overall, bridges are more complex than just an isolated dental crown and thus will cost more than dental crown procedures.
What is the Cost of a Dental Crown
The cost of a dental crown varies depending on what type of crown is chosen. Approximate range for a dental crown is around $1350-$1700 for PFM or ceramic crowns. Zirconia crowns would be on the higher side of the range given for PFM and ceramic crowns. Gold crowns likely would cost more depending on which lab which is why it can range around $2000-$3000.
Insurances usually covers 50%-60% with rare insurances covering 80-100%. Please reach out to your insurance company about your coverage for crowns to ensure that you are covered. If it is hard for you to navigate the insurance call please let us know and our receptionists should be able to help you.
The prices listed are subject to change usually by yearly basis as the prices of procedures, material fees and technician fees changes. For additional information please contact 519-601-1588 directly.
How Long can Dental Crowns Last?
The average dental crown could last up to 10-15 years. With proper maintenance it could last decades to a lifetime. Longevity of the crown is also dependent on a few other factors.
There are multiple factors that can affect the lifespan of a crown.
-
Quality of dental hygiene: without regular brushing/flossing or dental cleanings this can shorten the life of a crown. Poor dental hygiene will cause the tooth underneath the crown to deteriorate.
-
Type of crown used: As mentioned in the pros and cons section some crowns are more durable.
-
Health of the affected tooth: If the tooth has long roots and healthy gum and bone levels the crown is likely to last longer.
-
Tooth grinding: If you clench or grind your teeth it might wear down your crown in the long run. For these cases a nightguard might be recommended to reduce the amount of grinding.
-
Chewing Habits: When people use your teeth to chew on hard objects like ice, pencils, fingernails it could reduce the life expectancy of a crown.
-
Location: back teeth experience more pressure when chewing so it could wear down crowns faster.
-
Crown Placement Experience: How well the dentist prepared the tooth and how accurate the scan of the tooth could also impact the lifespan. This is why our experienced dentists takes their time to perfect your crown preparation to ensure that your crown will last you the longest!
Dental Crowns in Summary
It can be overwhelming when it comes to the mountain of information about dental crowns. But remember that dental crowns are recommended for teeth that have suffered damage. While types of dental crowns can differ, during the initial assessment you can ask our dentist which ones they recommend as we always want to find the perfect fit for you.
The overall process of putting on a dental crown just takes two visits. Proper maintenance and regular dental cleanings should be done to ensure that your crown lasts as long as it can.
When considering the types of dental crown and cost it is tempting to go with the cheaper option. This will definitely save money in the short term but might cost you a lot more later. So analyze your options and try to weigh in all factors before the formal decision. If you are still unsure, please let us know as Dr. Ge has over 40 years of experience in dentistry and can help you answer any of your questions.