A Natural-Looking Fix for Damaged Teeth
A dental crown acts as a protective cap, placed over a tooth that’s cracked, broken, decayed, discoloured, misshapen or has undergone root canal treatment. Each crown is custom crafted to match the shade and shape of your natural teeth, blending in seamlessly, and can last upwards of 15 years with proper care. Crowns are also commonly used to anchor a dental bridge, cap off a dental implant, or make cosmetic improvements to a tooth’s appearance.
What to expect when getting a dental crown
Getting a dental crown usually takes two office visits and is performed by your dentist from start to finish. Here’s how the process works:
Examining and preparing the tooth
As with any dental treatment, we start with a thorough examination, checking and cleaning your teeth to prepare them for an easy fit. If the tooth is broken or has significant decay, we’ll remove the damaged areas so the crown can properly protect it from further deterioration.
Creating your custom crown
Next, we’ll take an impression of your teeth using dental putty, which is used to craft your custom porcelain crown. You’ll be fitted with a temporary crown to wear until your next appointment. If you’re replacing a missing tooth with a dental implant, we’ll take an impression of the implant site and surrounding teeth instead, which our lab uses to manufacture your custom crown.
Placing your permanent crown
At your second appointment, we’ll remove the temporary crown and replace it with your permanent one, securing it with durable dental cement or a hidden screw. We’ll finish by polishing your crown and making any final adjustments to ensure it feels comfortable and secure.
Cost of Dental Crowns in Trenton
The out-of-pocket cost for a dental crown can vary quite a bit from patient to patient, depending on your specific needs and the tooth being treated. With a typical insurance plan, a single crown often averages out to about $300 to $700. Without insurance, a reasonable ballpark figure for a crown would be approximately $900 to $2,500 or more per tooth. Most patients find that restoring the health and function of their smile is well worth the investment, though we understand the cost may still be an important factor in your decision. So what goes into determining the cost of a dental crown?
- The type of crown and the material that is used.
- The location and complexity of the procedure.
- The number of crowns that may be required.
- Combining the crown with other dental appliances like bridges.
- Supplies and equipment required for your specific treatment.
At Trinity Family Dental, our team, including Dr. Srikanth Lingamaneni, Dr. Hardik Patel and Dr. Kaustubh Gandhalikar, is proud to help patients throughout Trenton restore damaged or weakened teeth with durable, natural-looking dental crowns. If you have dental insurance, we’re happy to provide a quote you can submit to your provider so you know your out-of-pocket costs before making a decision.
Contact us today
To schedule an initial consultation & exam.
Your dental crown consultation will include an examination of the tooth you’d like to treat, as well as your surrounding teeth, gums, and overall bite. We want to see how the damaged or weakened tooth fits within the function and appearance of your whole smile. Before we plan your treatment, we want to understand the health of your tooth and, most importantly, what you’d like to achieve, so we can help you get there.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, the procedure itself is not painful. Your mouth will be numbed before your tooth is prepared, so you won’t feel discomfort during treatment. Some mild sensitivity is normal for a few days afterward as you adjust to your new crown.
With proper care, a dental crown can last 10 to 15 years, and it’s not uncommon for them to last even longer. Good oral hygiene, including regular brushing, flossing, and checkups, plays a big role in extending the life of your crown.
It depends on how much of your natural tooth structure remains. If the damage or decay covers a large portion of the tooth, a filling may not provide enough support and could increase the risk of the tooth breaking. A crown offers more complete protection in these cases.
While uncommon, a crown can occasionally loosen or fall off due to wear, a poor fit, or decay underneath it. If this happens, it’s important to see your dentist as soon as possible so the crown can be recemented or replaced.
You can care for a crowned tooth just like your natural teeth, brushing twice a day and flossing once a day. Paying extra attention to the area around the gum line helps keep the crown and surrounding tissue healthy.
Leaving a damaged tooth untreated can allow the problem to worsen over time. Depending on the extent of the damage, this could lead to further cracking, infection, the need for a root canal, or in more serious cases, the loss of the tooth entirely.
Many insurance plans cover a portion of the cost when a crown is needed to restore a damaged or decayed tooth, though coverage varies by provider and plan. Cosmetic crowns are less commonly covered. We’re happy to help you submit a claim once we’ve provided your personalized quote.
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