Perfectly Seamless Tooth Restoration
Achieving flawless dental restoration, a dental crown serves as a protective “cap” placed over a damaged, discolored, or misshapen tooth, or one that has undergone root canal treatment or decay. Each crown is meticulously crafted to harmonize with the natural color and contour of your teeth. These custom-fitted crowns are designed to last for more than 15 years with proper care. Additionally, they can support a dental bridge, crown a dental implant, or be utilized for specific cosmetic enhancements and aesthetic improvements.
What’s The Process Of Getting A Crown?
Typically, the dental crown procedure involves two visits to the dentist’s office.
Here is how we go about it:
Examining and Preparing the Tooth
The process begins with a comprehensive dental examination, where your dentist will carefully inspect and clean your teeth to ensure they are ready for the crown placement. If the tooth is fractured or significantly affected by decay, any damaged areas will be removed. This prepares the tooth for the dental crown, which serves to protect it from future decay and restore its functionality.
Shaping the Crown
Using dental putty, we begin by taking an impression of your teeth to create full porcelain crowns. During this visit, you will also receive a temporary dental crown that fits over your teeth until your next appointment. In cases where a tooth is missing and you opt for a dental implant, we will take an impression of the implant and adjacent teeth. This impression is then sent to our lab to fabricate a custom crown tailored to your specific needs.
Placing the Crown
Your second appointment involves the removal of the temporary crown and the placement of the permanent crown. Utilizing either strong dental cement or a discreet screw, we securely affix the crown. This step is followed by polishing the crown and making necessary adjustments to ensure optimal comfort and fit.
Cost Of Dental Crowns In Baton Rouge
For each patient, the out-of-pocket expense for a dental crown can vary widely. With typical insurance coverage, the cost of a single crown averages around $200 to $600 or more. Without insurance, a rough estimate for a crown is about $800 to $1200 and above. While many people consider a dental crown a straightforward decision to restore normal appearance and function, the cost may still be a factor to consider.
- The type of crown and the material used
- The location and complexity of the procedure
- The number of crowns needed
- Integration with other dental appliances, such as bridges
- Supplies and equipment required for your specific treatment
Several factors influence the cost of a dental crown:
To accurately determine your dental treatment costs, it’s essential to undergo an oral exam and consult with a dentist. No dental practice can provide a precise quote over the phone, as your dental needs are unique, much like your smile. If you have dental insurance, we can supply you with a quote to submit, allowing you to assess your out-of-pocket expenses before making a decision.
Contact us today
to schedule an initial consultation & exam.
Your consultation will include an examination of everything from your teeth, gums and soft tissues to the shape and condition of your bite. Generally, we want to see how your whole mouth looks and functions. Before we plan your treatment we want to know everything about the health and aesthetic of your smile, and, most importantly, what you want to achieve so we can help you get there.
Frequently Asked Questions
Whether a tooth needs a crown after a root canal largely depends on its location in the mouth. Molars and premolars towards the back, essential for chewing, typically require crowns. In contrast, incisors or canines, which aren’t as crucial for chewing, may not always need crowns after a root canal.
In comparing dental crowns to fillings, one significant advantage of crowns lies in their durability, particularly for teeth with extensive biting surfaces. Fillings placed on molars’ biting surfaces may be prone to chipping or loosening under repeated chewing pressure or clenching habits. Crowns, on the other hand, offer a robust, continuous surface from gumline to gumline, engineered to endure substantial forces over an extended lifespan.
Dental crowns serve two crucial purposes in your mouth. Primarily, they fully restore the function of your tooth, allowing you to close your teeth and chew comfortably without pain or the need to compensate on one side. Additionally—and equally important—crowns are crafted to blend seamlessly with your natural teeth. They are color-matched and contoured to match your aesthetic. In fact, at times, people may completely forget which tooth is the crown due to their natural appearance.
A dental post serves a specific purpose in dental restoration. Unlike dental implants, which integrate into the jawbone through surgery, a dental post is a medical-grade rod. It is often cemented into a prepared root canal to reinforce the base and core of a dental crown. Dental posts are used when there isn’t enough healthy tooth structure remaining to reliably support a crown.
The experience of getting a dental crown can resemble that of receiving a filling, depending on the condition of your tooth. We take care to thoroughly numb the area and use local anesthesia as needed to ensure that the preparation of your tooth is comfortable and pain-free. After the procedure, you may experience mild sensitivity or soreness in the gums around the treated tooth for a short period. If you have any concerns or dental anxiety, please inform us. We’re committed to making your visit as comfortable and stress-free as possible.
The lifespan of a dental crown varies, but with proper care, it can endure up to 15 years. For those maintained meticulously, they may last for 25 to 30 years.
Caring for your dental crown is essential for its longevity and your oral health. Practice regular brushing and flossing to keep the crown and the surrounding gums clean and healthy. It’s also important to schedule routine dental cleanings and checkups to ensure your crown continues to function effectively.
