Dental Crowns: A Helpful Guide For Patients in Huntington Beach

At Dental Oasis of Orange County, we always strive to protect our patients' natural teeth. While preventative dental care and good oral hygiene can prevent most issues from occurring, sometimes restorative treatment is needed as a result of an injury/trauma, tooth decay, age, or medications. When a natural tooth becomes structurally compromised, a dental crown  is the best treatment option available to save the tooth from needing a root canal, extraction, or implant.

What Is a Dental Crown?

A dental crown, also known as a cap, is a type of dental prosthetic that covers the exposed part of a natural tooth. It's a permanent treatment that both restores and improves the look of a tooth, while also sealing and protecting it to strengthen its structure and shape.

You can get dental crown treatment from a range of dental care providers, including general dentists, restorative dentists, cosmetic dentists, and prosthodontists.

Dental Crown Benefits: How Are Dental Crowns Used?

Dental crowns have several restorative and cosmetic benefits

• Prevent the need for tooth extraction
• Strengthen weakened, compromised teeth
• Protect the tooth from additional wear and tear
• Restore dental function
• Enhance the aesthetic appearance of the teeth
• Offer long-lasting durability
• Look and feel natural

Dental crowns can be used in a wide array of oral health situations. Some of the most common treatment applications of dental crowns include:

• Restoring and sealing a tooth after root canal therapy
• Strengthening and protecting a significantly damaged (chipped, cracked, or fractured) tooth
• Protecting a tooth with an old, compromised silver amalgam dental filling
• Covering a dental implant to replace a missing tooth
• Anchoring a dental bridge to replace multiple consecutive missing teeth
• Correcting the appearance of an irregularly sized or shaped tooth
• Hiding permanent tooth discoloration

Dental crowns have both restorative and cosmetic benefits and treatment uses. Primarily, dental crowns are recommended as a last-resort treatment to save a natural tooth that would otherwise need to be extracted. 

Restorative Treatment Options: Types of Dental Crowns

Several different types of dental crowns exist, and they mostly vary in material composition and manufacturing method. The one that's right for you will depend on your unique oral health situation and treatment preferences. 

• Feldspathic Porcelain Crown - This type of crown is for cosmetic/aesthetic purposes, resulting from the hands of a skilled ceramicist. The porcelain is hand-layered in order to create anatomy, texture, shades, and variations of color, allowing for the highest quality and most natural-looking crowns
• Pressed Ceramic Crown - This type of dental crown is made of all porcelain (or ceramic) but includes a highly compressed core for additional strength. 
• Metal Dental Crown - Metal dental crowns can be made of several different materials, like gold, chromium, nickel, or palladium. They are strong and durable, but are not the most aesthetically pleasing option. 
• Porcelain-Fused-to-Metal (PFM) Crown - These crowns combine the aesthetic appearance of porcelain with the strength of metal by fusing tooth-colored porcelain around a metal core. These crowns, however, can become chipped and even wear down the enamel of opposing teeth over time. 
• Zirconia Crown (Bruxzir) - This type of crown is usually recommended for patients who have bruxism (or are clenchers and grinders). Requiring less material but having extremely high strength, this crown is great for the posterior molars, where a lot of heavy forces from clenching, grinding, and chewing can occur
• All-Resin Crowns - These tooth-colored crowns are made of resin composite. They offer a natural look and can be more affordable than other options, but they are not nearly as durable. 
• Hybrid Crowns / 3D Printed Crowns - These types of crowns are made of a 50% resin and 50% ceramic. 3D printed crowns are amazing same day solutions that allows for immediate delivery of the final prosthesis. Though not as strong as all ceramic crowns, these offer great solutions for less traffic areas of the mouth where not a lot of clenching, grinding, and chewing of foods are. Highly esthetic and provide great seal around the tooth. 
• Same-Day CEREC Crowns - These crowns are made of all-porcelain. They use computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) technology to facilitate same-day, single appointment treatment. 

The Tooth Crown Procedure: What to Expect When Getting a Dental Crown in Huntington Beach

The process of dental crown treatment varies depending on the type of dental crown you will be getting. For example, treatment with same-day CEREC crowns is completed in a single visit to our office because we design and manufacture these dental crowns inside our office. If you are receiving a different type of dental crown, then you will need two dental appointments. 

Pain-Free Treatment

Whenever needed, we use local anesthetics to ensure our patients experience no pain or discomfort during their dental treatments. If you feel particularly nervous about your appointment or experience dental anxiety, we also offer mild to moderate sedation dentistry options that can help you relax and feel calm during your treatment. 

Consultation

A tooth crown procedure always begins with a patient consultation and examination. During this time, our dentist will ask you about your symptoms and discuss your treatment options with you. The consultation usually includes an examination and diagnostic images that enable our dentist to fully assess the health of the tooth and the severity of damage or decay. During the exam, we determine whether any additional preparatory treatments are needed for the tooth, such as root canal therapy. If necessary, this treatment will take place before the dental crown process. 

Tooth Preparation, Imaging, and Treatment Design

Once you are ready for your dental crown treatment and restoration, we begin by preparing the tooth. This process involves removing a thin layer of external tooth enamel, which will create enough space to accommodate your dental crown while maintaining a comfortable bite. 

After preparing the tooth, we take three-dimensional, digital tooth impressions using an intraoral scanning device (instead of messy, physical impressions using putty and trays). These images are then uploaded into advanced design software, where we custom-design your dental crown to achieve a perfect fit, comfortable bite, and natural aesthetic appearance. 

Temporary Dental Crown

Depending on the type of crown you are getting, we will either create your same-day CEREC crown on our precision, in-office milling machine or send your design specs to an external dental lab for milling. If your dental crown is being made outside of our office, we will fit you with a temporary crown and schedule a second appointment for your permanent crown placement. 

Permanent Dental Crown Placement

If you're receiving a same-day crown, we will place your crown during your initial appointment. If you're receiving an externally manufactured crown, we will place it once it is ready.

When your dental crown is ready, we remove your temporary crown (if applicable) before checking the color, shape, size, and fit of your permanent crown. We then permanently bond the dental crown over your natural tooth. We use strong dental cement to hold the crown in place. We can then make final adjustments to ensure a natural-feeling fit and comfortable bite.

Once the dental cement has set, your treatment is complete, and you can return to your normal daily activities. 

Dental Crown Recovery Time

Recovery time for getting a dental crown largely depends on the type of treatment needed to prepare your tooth to receive a dental crown. Recovering from the placement of a crown can take anywhere from a few weeks to even a few months. Like knee, hip or shoulder surgery, this dental procedure requires time for the body to heal and acclimate. Soreness and discomfort are expected with a new crown. Multiple visits may be required to make adjustments to improve the comfort and use of the crown. 

How Much Do Dental Crowns Cost?

On average, the cost of a dental crown ranges from $800 to $3,000 per tooth. The average cost of a tooth crown varies significantly due to several factors, including:

• The type and material of the dental crown
• The location of the tooth being treated
• The complexity of the case
• Any restorative work needed to prepare the tooth
• The patient's insurance coverage

Our office team can provide you with a comprehensive estimate of your treatment costs and help you navigate your insurance policy to help you anticipate your out-of-pocket treatment costs. At Dental Oasis of Orange County, we believe that great dental care should be accessible to everyone, so we provide a variety of options for financing, such as Cherry Payment Plans. 

Caring for Your Dental Crown

Dental crowns are designed to be durable and long-lasting. Depending on the material a crown is made from and its location in the mouth, the average dental crown lasts between five and 15 years. Despite this lower average, dental crowns can last more than 30 years with proper maintenance and care. 

• Dental Care - Patients can help extend the lifespan of their dental crowns by maintaining good oral hygiene with regular brushing, flossing, and visits to the dentist.
• Healthy Habits - Additionally, we recommend that patients avoid chewing on hard objects and ice, eating extremely sticky foods, or using their teeth as tools.
• Protective Oral Appliances - We also recommend wearing an athletic mouthguard for physical activities and wearing a nightguard if you suffer from sleep bruxism (clenching the jaws and grinding the teeth at night). 

When to See the Dentist About Your Dental Crown

While dental crowns are designed to be strong and lasting, it is possible for them to be damaged. If you notice that your dental crown feels loose or if it comes off of your tooth, you should contact our office immediately for an urgent appointment to reattach and secure your dental crown. Waiting too long to fix a damaged crown could result in oral health complications. 

Contact our office if you experience or notice any of the following:

• Lost crown
• Loose crown
• Cracked or chipped crown
• Sharp edges on your crown
• Persistent bad breath or a bad taste in your mouth

Our dentist can examine your existing dental crown and restore your dental work to ensure your ongoing good oral health. 

Restorative and Cosmetic Treatment Alternatives

Dental crowns are usually recommended to serve a fairly specific purpose, which is to strengthen, seal, and protect a compromised tooth in order to prevent the need for extraction. Dental crowns, however, are sometimes desired for other reasons, such as improving the appearance of the smile.

In some cases, where the need is purely cosmetic, alternative options such as dental veneers might offer a more conservative treatment approach to improving and enhancing the look of the smile. 

Additionally, there are some situations when a dental restoration called an inlay or onlay might be more suitable than a dental crown. In other situations where a tooth is too far compromised to be saved, extraction might be necessary. In cases where one or more teeth are lost, patients have several treatment options for restoring their smiles, including dental implants, dental bridges, and dentures. Our dentist works with each patient, explaining treatment options and answering questions, to help them determine the most appropriate course of treatment. 

Restore Your Smile With Personalized Care at Dental Oasis of Orange County

If you need a crown in Huntington Beach, then you have come to the right place. Dr. Vuong and the dental care team at Dental Oasis of Orange County are committed to providing patients with personalized, comfortable care in a modern, patient-focused environment. Our restorative and cosmetic dentist works with each patient on an individual basis to ensure they receive a custom treatment plan designed to meet their needs and treatment preferences while achieving optimal, long-lasting results. 

Whether you want to accelerate the treatment process with a same-day crown or would benefit more greatly from a crown made in an external dental lab, our dentist has the experience and knowledge to ensure your smile's restoration exceeds your expectations, improves your oral health, and enhances your features. 

To learn more about dental crowns, we welcome you to contact our dental office in Orange County to request an appointment with Dr. Vuong today.