Dental crowns are some of the recommendations dentists make for damaged teeth. They are custom-made caps placed over a damaged tooth to restore its shape, strength, and appearance. They are mainly recommended for people with severely damaged or weakened teeth. The crown reinforces the tooth and restores its shape and appearance to mimic a natural tooth.
Your dentist will recommend receiving a dental crown, depending on the extent of your tooth’s damage and preference. However, understand that there are various types of crowns for multiple needs and budgets. A skilled dentist will take time to ensure you know the different types, their advantages and disadvantages, and everything you need to know about crowns to make an informed decision.
Reasons to Choose a Dental Crown
Tooth damage is a prevalent issue that affects people of all ages. It has various causes, including tooth decay, enamel erosion, or trauma from an accident. A damaged tooth does not appear, feel, or function well. You need immediate treatment to prevent further tooth damage and restore its appearance and functionality. Dentists offer several solutions for damaged teeth, including dental fillings, bonding, root canals, bridges, and crowns. Extraction is only recommended when the damaged tooth cannot be saved. The exact recommendation your dentist will make in your situation will depend on the nature and extent of the damage.
A dental crown is a highly recommended solution for a damaged tooth. It includes a tooth-shaped cap that the dentist places on top of a damaged tooth to restore its shape, structure, and strength. This helps the restored tooth closely resemble and function like a natural one. It is a standard recommendation by many dentists because of its potential for improving the aesthetics and functionality of a damaged tooth. There are many reasons to choose a dental crown, including the following:
To Strengthen a Damaged Tooth
If your tooth is severely damaged and weak, a crown can reinforce and protect it from further damage, especially if you want it to bite or chew.
To Restore a Severely Damaged Tooth
Your smile and confidence will likely be affected if one or more visible teeth are severely damaged. A crown restores its structure and look, so you can smile and socialize broadly without worrying about the damage.
To Enhance the Appearance of a Discolored or Misshapen Tooth
If one or more of your teeth are discolored or imperfect, a crown can cover the imperfection to enhance their appearance and boost your smile and confidence.
To Support a Dental Bridge
Dentists use dental crowns to anchor bridges used to replace a missing tooth. Crowns serve as anchors for dental bridges, helping restore the function and appearance of missing teeth.
To Cover a Dental Implant
Dentists also use dental crowns on top of an implant to mimic a natural tooth in appearance and function.
Choosing a Dental Crown
This is crucial once you and your dentist agree you need a dental crown for damaged or missing teeth. Your dentist will explain your options, providing detailed information, to enable you to choose the one that fits your needs, preferences, and budget. Here are the types of dental crowns, and their costs, to inform your decision-making:
Gold Crowns
These types are made from an alloy of copper and metals like chromium and nickel. They are strong, durable, and aesthetically pleasing. However, they are mainly used for restoring damaged back teeth. This is because gold crowns are golden, meaning the restoration will be conspicuous. Your dentist will not recommend a gold crown if you want a more discreet restoration. However, they can work for you if you want to add some aesthetics to your natural appeal.
Here are some benefits you will likely enjoy from a gold dental crown:
- Your restoration will remain strong for years without a need for a replacement. However, you must take good care of your crowns to serve you for a lengthy period
- Minimal preparation of your tooth is required before receiving a gold crown. This preserves much of a natural tooth.
- Due to their strength, gold crowns wear down slowly, like natural enamel. You can bite and chew without worrying about damaging or weakening the crown.
- Gold crowns are ideal for restoring teeth, particularly molars, due to their strength and durability.
However, the restoration will be visible since gold crowns do not look like natural teeth. This will not work if you prefer discreet restorations or are struggling with self-esteem.
Some people also suffer from allergic reactions due to metallic dental restorations. If you are one of these people, let your dentist know so they can recommend another option.
Gold crowns are costly compared to alternatives like all-porcelain and PFM crowns. The cost ranges from $600 to $2,500 per tooth, depending on the specific metal alloy you choose and the location and expertise of your dentist. The amount you pay for treatment will also depend on insurance coverage. Insurance companies can cover part of your entire treatment if the treatment has curative or preventive benefits.
All-Porcelain Dental Crowns
Porcelain is a standard material for dental restorations primarily because of its ability to look like natural teeth. It is also strong and durable. Your dentist can recommend an all-porcelain crown for a discreet treatment, especially on a front tooth. This will enhance your smile and boost your confidence after tooth damage. Here are some of the benefits you can receive from a porcelain crown:
- You will enjoy the most natural appearance after restoring a severely damaged tooth. The porcelain crown will match the damaged tooth and the adjacent teeth in color, size, and shape.
- The porcelain material is also biocompatible, which is safe for our bodies. It is toxic-free, and since the restoration has no metal, there are minimal risks of allergic reactions.
- Porcelain also reflects the properties of a natural enamel, meaning that you will not feel any different after restoration. Once you get used to the crown, your treated tooth’s natural appearance and function will be restored.
However, porcelain dental crowns are less strong than metal crowns. Although they can serve you for years, you will require a replacement sooner than if you received a metal crown. However, after restoration, you can prolong their durability by caring for them and your teeth.
You can easily damage your porcelain crowns if you habitually clench or grind your teeth. Porcelain material is not strong enough to withstand extreme pressure. You should also avoid using your teeth as tools to protect them.
Additionally, porcelain dental crowns are a little pricier than other options, like metal crowns. You could pay from $800 to $3000 to restore one tooth. The price varies wildly, depending on the dentist’s expertise, exact location, the specific materials used, and other services you need besides the crown.
Porcelain-Fused-To-Metal (PFM) Dental Crowns
This combination resolves some of the shortcomings of all-porcelain dental crowns. They offer a combination of strength and natural appearance to give you a beautiful natural look for years after restoration. The metal structure of the combination strengthens the porcelain for long-term service. The porcelain structure restores the natural elements of your damaged tooth. Thus, PFM dental crowns are popular for durability and aesthetics, making them an ideal choice for repairing damaged teeth. Here are some of the benefits you can expect from them:
- The restoration matches your natural teeth’s color, size, and shape. This gives you a beautiful restoration for your damaged tooth.
- PFM dental crowns are also strong and durable, serving you for a reasonable time, especially with proper care
- These types of crowns have been around for a very long time, meaning that they have been tried and proven to work well for dental restorations.
- They are more affordable than gold and all-porcelain dental crowns
However, the metal component of PFM dental crowns can cause an allergic reaction if you are allergic to metal. You should discuss your allergies and other health concerns with your dentist for effective decision-making.
PFM crowns may cause a grayish line near the gumline over time due to the underlying metal because of the metal component. This can change your appearance and affect your smile and confidence after some time. You could be forced to replace them sooner than you anticipated.
PFM dental crowns are also not ideal for people with bruxism. If you habitually grind or clench your teeth, or occasionally use your teeth as tools, you will quickly damage your crowns, necessitating a replacement. This can be costly in the long run.
PFM crowns range from $800 to $2,000 per tooth. The price varies depending on the location of your dentist, their experience, and the exact materials used in the restoration. You could pay more for additional oral care before or after restoration.
Zirconia Dental Crowns
These are relatively new products that combine the appearance of porcelain dental crowns and the strength of metal crowns. They are layered and highly translucent dental browns that have become quite popular lately. They offer the following advantages:
- They give great aesthetics to enhance your look and confidence
- They are strong, durable, and less likely to break or chip
- They are easy to prepare for placement because the zirconia material is easy to work with. The dentist can cut and shape them in the dental office instead of sending them to the lab.
- Due to their strength, zirconia dental crowns do not wear down easily
- They are also biocompatible or toxin-free, meaning that they are safe for allergic people
However, their strength can affect your other teeth, especially those they bite against. They can cause enamel erosion and severe damage to the tooth. Zirconia crowns are also difficult to adjust after placement. They are more expensive than porcelain and PFM crowns. You will likely pay $1,000 to $3,000 to restore a single tooth using a zirconia crown. The price varies from one dentist to another, based on their location, expertise, and additional services.
E-Max or Lithium Disilicate Dental Crowns
E-Max crowns are among the more modern options in dental restoration and are known for their aesthetics and strength. E-max crowns are all-ceramic crowns made from lithium disilicate, a light and thin material. The material is strong, durable, and aesthetically pleasing. Thus, they offer strength, durability, and a natural appearance on top of the ability to mimic natural teeth with their translucent appearance. They are more recommended for the front teeth because they can seamlessly blend with the adjacent teeth. Here are some of the benefits they offer:
- E-max dental crowns will give you great aesthetics because they are designed to mimic natural teeth. They will enhance your natural appearance and give you a perfect natural smile.
- They are also strong and durable and can serve you for years without requiring a replacement.
- Although they are most recommended for the front teeth because of their great aesthetics, they can also work perfectly for the back teeth.
However, they are more expensive than most of your other options. They cost from $1,200 to $1,800 for one tooth, depending on the experience and location of your dentist. You could pay more if you want additional treatment or care.
Since they are a new entrant in dentistry, most dentists have yet to master them for a perfect placement. Some dentists still face difficulties placing them on the back teeth, particularly when working on multiple teeth. If you choose these types, you should also choose a dentist with experience working with them.
Find a Competent Dentist Near Me
Do you need a dental crown for your severely damaged tooth in Lakewood?
Dental crowns are an excellent choice for restoration because they enhance a severely damaged tooth’s appearance, strength, and functionality. Additionally, you have several options, depending on your budget, preference, and suitability. You need the help of a competent dentist to choose the ideal treatment for your teeth.
At Lakewood Dentist, we take time with your patients to understand their needs and explain their options. Then, we help them choose dental crowns that serve their needs, interests, and budget. We also describe the treatment process to ensure you know what to expect before, during, and after receiving dental crowns. Call us at 562-423-1441 to discuss dental crowns and our services further.