WHAT IS A DENTAL CROWN?

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  • A crown is a cover (often called a cap) that is placed over your tooth to strengthen your tooth or improve the appearance of a decayed or damaged tooth. Crowns restore the shape, strength, functionality, and appearance of your original or missing tooth and the benefit of a crown is you'll be able to use your tooth to chew again without hurting the decayed or damaged area beneath the crown. Plus, you'll now have a tooth that looks as good or better than your previous tooth. Crowns protect the vulnerable soft center of your tooth, called the pulp chamber, by helping to reinforce the hard outer layer of the tooth (called the dentin), and protect the inner layer or pulp where your tooth contains nerve endings, blood vessels and connective tissue. A crown covers the fragile areas of the inner tooth and shields it from damage, while often providing a cosmetic "new tooth" appearance as well.

At Artizan Dental Care, we want you to be informed about your options for dental crowns. Below you'll find the most frequently asked questions regarding dental crowns, which are a great option for repairing or replacing teeth and regaining the full function of your former teeth or tooth. A dental crown looks and functions like your original tooth, and dentist Dr. Ben Alvarez, DDS uses advanced dental technology to help make the process stress-free, so you can get back to eating, chewing and living your life! Learn everything you need to know about crowns below or call us to schedule a consultation anytime!

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HOW LONG DO DENTAL CROWNS LAST?

  • Traditional dental crowns last from 5-10 years, on average, and even longer when well cared for. CEREC crowns are said to last between 10 and 30 years, but neither traditional nor CEREC crowns are indestructible and both are weakened by poor hygiene, cigarette smoking, and teeth grinding at night or clenching of the jaw. If you suffer from conditions related to TMJ, like teeth grinding, wearing a nightguard can help preserve the longevity of your dental crowns.

WHAT ARE CROWNS MADE OF?

  • Porcelain is the most common material used to make dental crowns, which look and function like a natural tooth. Porcelain is made out of two ingredients: 1) kaolin, which gives your tooth its plasticity, and allows your dentist to form the tooth structure 2) petunse, which gives your dental crown its hardness and translucent appearance. Other materials that may be used to make a dental crown can include resin, ceramics, and metals.

HOW MUCH DO CROWNS COST?

  • Dental crowns range from $800 to $3000 for traditional or CEREC crowns, which have similar costs. That said, CEREC crowns may involve cost savings because some dentists, like Dr. Alvarez at Artizan Dental Care, can create and fit your dental crown on the same day visit. When discerning your costs, talk to your dentist and ask how many visits may be required for your dental crown. This will help you determine the total cost of your dental crown including the cost involved with multiple visits. Typically, CEREC crowns--though ready within a day or less--still require a second visit.
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SHOULD I GET A TRADITIONAL CROWN OR A CEREC CROWN?

  • In many cases, dental patients prefer CEREC crowns because CEREC crowns can be created and applied in fewer visits (sometimes on the same day), which saves time and money. The main benefit of a CEREC crown is the speed of the process. CEREC crowns can be made and fitted in one visit to the dentist, though the visit can last for up to 2 hours. Comparatively, a traditional crown may take weeks to be created and requires you to have a second visit where your new crown is applied. Also, where traditional dental crowns are involved, a temporary crown may be needed, while you wait on your final traditional crown.

WHAT ARE CEREC CROWNS?

  • CEREC crowns are made of porcelain or a resin composite and are often created by your dentist with the help of Computer-Aided Design (CAD) and Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAM), the benefits of which are faster dental service because your crown or crowns are created in a single appointment rather than waiting weeks or months. CEREC crowns are a technological advancement in the way crowns are made, and have become a preferred choice for dental patients because of their ability, in some cases, to be created on a same-day visit. Depending on the situation, a CEREC crown can be created and applied in as little as two hours, which can remove the need for a temporary crown or second visit. That said, every dental crown is unique and your dentist will explain the time frame necessary for your CEREC crown to be created and fitted.
About Dr. Ben Alvarez, DDS

IS IT PAINFUL TO HAVE A CROWN PUT ON YOUR TOOTH?

  • No. Getting a crown is a very common procedure and can be accompanied by pain-management options of your choosing like the use of an anesthetic or sedation. The benefits of regaining the functionality and appearance of your original tooth are a great motivation and though some dental patients report mild discomfort when foregoing pain-management options, a good anesthetic or sedation will help block any pain.
  • In cases where a patient has to undergo a root canal treatment before having the crown applied, there is at times discomfort because the inner pulp chamber must be disinfected prior to receiving the crown. Still, even in the case of root canals, discomfort should not last beyond 2-3 days.
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MORE GREAT RESOURCES ON DENTAL CROWNS

We've tried to answer the most frequently asked questions about dental crowns, but there are many other great resources online to learn more. We've listed some of the resources we found most helpful below:


  1. Aspen Dental - about dental crowns
  2. Restoration Smiles - longevity of crowns
  3. Babylon Dental Care - do crowns hurt?


WHAT ARE CEREC CROWNS?

  • CEREC crowns are made of porcelain or a resin composite and are often created by your dentist with the help of Computer-Aided Design (CAD) and Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAM), the benefits of which are faster dental service because your crown or crowns are created in a single appointment rather than waiting weeks or months. CEREC crowns are a technological advancement in the way crowns are made, and have become a preferred choice for dental patients because of their ability, in some cases, to be created on a same-day visit. Depending on the situation, a CEREC crown can be created and applied in as little as two hours, which can remove the need for a temporary crown or second visit. That said, every dental crown is unique and your dentist will explain the time frame necessary for your CEREC crown to be created and fitted.
About Dr. Ben Alvarez, DDS
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