Dental crowns in South Portland are one of the most widely used treatments in restorative dentistry. Made of all-ceramic material, a crown can repair a damaged tooth or prevent a weakened one from breaking. Our office uses state-of-the-art technology to create high-quality restorations that look and feel like your natural tooth. We’ll design your crown to meet your precise specifications for a comfortable fit, so you can chew, speak, and smile confidently.
A dental crown is a cap that’s bonded over the entire surface of a tooth above the gumline. They are often used in restorative dentistry to rehabilitate the health and function of a tooth; however, they also offer cosmetic benefits to enhance its appearance. Your dentist in South Portland may recommend a crown for the following situations:
You’ll first need an initial consultation with your dentist to ensure a crown is right for you. They’ll perform a thorough examination to create a personalized treatment plan. Afterward, you’ll be scheduled for the first phase of your procedure.
Your tooth is prepared by performing any necessary treatments, like resolving decay or conducting root canal therapy. Your tooth will then be reshaped to allow the crown to fit over it. After your tooth has been prepped, a digital impression is taken. You won’t need to worry about holding a messy, foul-tasting material in your mouth. Instead, a quick scan gathers the precise measurements and information necessary to create your restoration.
The scan integrates with CEREC technology, where we will design your crowns to meet your exact requirements. The advanced technology removes any room for error to streamline the process. After the specifics have been set, the information is sent to the dental lab, where they will craft your restoration from all-ceramic material. It can take a couple of weeks, so you’ll need a temporary crown to protect your tooth while you wait.
Once the permanent restoration has been sent back to our office, you’ll return to have it bonded in place. You’ll walk out of the office with an attractive, high-quality crown that can last for a decade or longer with the right aftercare, like maintaining your oral hygiene at home and visiting your dentist regularly.
Dental crowns are a tried-and-proven solution to save compromised teeth. Overall, they offer several benefits, including:
Dental crowns help to build up and protect damaged teeth from additional harm. Since every case is different, the cost of treatment can vary from patient to patient. During your consultation with us, we will go over the estimated cost of your treatment in detail so that you don’t run into any surprises. Until then, here are some things to take into consideration.
There are various factors that contribute to the cost of dental crowns. Here are the most important ones.
Dental crowns are generally considered to be a major restorative treatment, meaning that most dental insurance providers cover them at about 50% after the annual deductible has been met and before the maximum has been exceeded. However, every plan is different, so it is best to confirm this ahead of time. We are proud to be in-network Delta Dental plans at our practice. If you have another insurance, give us a call so we can let you know if we accept it and what kind of benefits you can expect.
If you don’t have dental insurance, that doesn’t mean that you are completely out of luck. With our in-office membership plan, you can save on treatments completed at our practice. We are also happy to accept payments through CareCredit – a third-party financing company that can split the cost of your treatment into manageable monthly installments with little to no interest. If you have any questions or need help applying, give us a call.
Although dental crowns are one of the most common treatments in dentistry, there may still be some confusion about them. We want to clear the air and make sure you understand this treatment option so you can make the best decision for your smile. Below, we’ve answered some of the most asked questions from patients about dental crowns and hope you’ll find what you’re looking for here. If not, or if you would like to talk to Dr. Parét about your concerns, you’re more than welcome to request an appointment and ask us in person!
Not when Dr. Parét does it! Before we make any adjustments or treat your tooth, we’ll give you a local anesthetic, numbing the area. While she performs the preliminary work, you should feel completely comfortable and not feel anything! A few hours after we’re done, you may feel some mild soreness, but it should easily be managed with pain reliever you find at any drugstore. The temporary crown is designed to protect the tooth until your custom one is ready, which means you shouldn’t necessarily feel any sensitivity or pain.
The lifespan of dental crowns can vary from patient to patient. Typically, they go about 10 to 15 years before needing replacement, but sometimes they can last as long as 20 years! It depends on several factors, including your diet and habits. Chewing hard foods or biting on hard objects like pencils or ice can cause the crowns to degrade faster. How long your dental crown lasts will also depend on how well you take care of it.
If you want your dental crowns to go more than a few years, you need to keep them in good condition. Although the restoration will not develop cavities, the tooth structure underneath can become decayed without proper attention. Fortunately, maintaining them is simple. You take care of them just as you would natural teeth. Daily brushing and flossing stop oral bacteria and plaque from harming your smile, and dental checkups and cleanings every six months allow Dr. Parét to keep a close eye on your natural teeth and restorations.
Supposing you continue to come in for your biannual checkups and cleanings, Dr. Paret will likely be the one who identifies the early signs that a dental crown should be replaced. However, sometimes it manifests in between these appointments. Your dental crown could have a black or gray line near the gumline, which could indicate that decay has reached the tooth underneath. If your restoration feels loose or comes out, the bonding material could be worn down, potentially meaning that you need a new crown.
At Mind Your Mouth, we opt to use the highest quality, safest materials for our patients, which is why we use dental ceramic to craft all of our restorations. This material is known to resist staining, be safe for those with metal allergies, and is able to mimic the natural appearance of teeth by reflecting light. Additionally, ceramic crowns are known for their durability, with the ability to last for over 10 years with good maintenance.
Because all of our dental crowns are crafted from metal-free ceramic, it’s safe to receive an MRI with your restoration. However, if you have a crown crafted from zirconia or metal amalgam, or any other material that contains a metal, it’s not safe to receive an MRI with it in your mouth. This is because the metal in the crown will be attracted to the magnet and dislodge it entirely. It’s important to inform your MRI technician about any dental work you have beforehand.
At first, your dental crown may not feel like a natural extension of your mouth and it can take some getting used to. However, after a couple of weeks, you should no longer notice your restoration in your mouth. If you feel like it has disrupted your bite or it feels loose, call your dentist in South Portland immediately.
Waiting to get necessary dental care, like a crown, can increase your chances of the problem spreading or becoming worse. For example, if you had a tooth infection and received root canal treatment, not receiving a dental crown over the top of it would put it at risk of becoming infected again. As a result, you may need even more extensive intervention, like a tooth extraction. In order to minimize your risk of needing more costly and invasive treatments, it’s important to get procedures that will help you preserve your natural smile.
Unfortunately, dental crowns cannot be whitened due to their non-porous nature. While this may seem like a drawback, it also comes with an advantage; your dental crown will also be resistant to staining due to ceramic’s non-porous nature. In order to whiten your restoration alongside your teeth, you’ll need to have it re-crafted.
If you need a dental crown, you deserve to benefit from the best. Contact our office today to schedule your consultation for a metal-free restoration to restore a beautiful, healthy smile.
