Snellville Family Dental

Dental Crowns

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Snellville Family Dental is a General Dental practice that also provides specialist procedures. Located in Snellville, GA, we proudly provide the area with exceptional dental care while using the most up to date and cutting edge procedures. We also have in house dental specialists who offer advanced dental services, typically only offered at specialist offices, such as root canals, teeth extractions, clear smile aligners, and dental implant placements. We also perform all aspects of general dentistry, such as teeth cleanings, fillings, dental crowns, dental bridges, and dentures. This diverse offering means that you do not have to be referred to a specialist and you do not have to go to another dental office. Get all of your dental work, big or small, done in one office.

What Are Dental Crowns: Best Dental Crowns Near You Snellville, GA

Dental crowns, also known as “caps,” are tooth-shaped inlays that restore the shape, size, and strength of the natural tooth. The name, “crown,” refers to the visible portion of a tooth. Above all, crowns are designed to cover the entire visible portion of a restored tooth all the way down to the gum line. Additionally, they are used to resolve a number of dental issues and are commonly used for both restorative dentistry and cosmetic dentistry. At Snellville Family Dental, we provide patients a wide variety of options for dental crowns, or dental caps, to give you the best smile.

When Are Dental Crowns Necessary?

Dental crown treatments are used when a patient has severe tooth decay that must be removed. After removing the decayed portion of a tooth it is no longer structurally sound and a crown must be used to restore it. In preparation for this procedure, much of the natural tooth must be cut down so a crown can be placed over it. It can also be a procedure done as part of a larger operation such as a full-mouth restoration, root canal, bridge, or dental implant.

Dental crowns are also useful for protecting weak teeth. They can also be used to restore a broken tooth, or one that is very worn down. Additionally, they are useful for holding dental bridges in place, and for covering a dental implant. In some cases, they can even be used for cosmetic purposes.

What Types Of Dental Crowns Are There?

Dental crowns are constructed from a number of materials. The most common is porcelain due to its resemblance to natural tooth color, but the components are chosen on a case-by-case basis, according to the patient’s specific needs and preferences.

Stainless Steel Crowns

These prefabricated crowns are usually used on permanent teeth as a temporary crown. As a result, this protects the tooth while a permanent crown is being made. It covers the entire tooth and provides protection from decay. Stainless steel crowns are also often used in children to cover prepared baby teeth until the permanent teeth come in.

Various Metal Crowns

Some of the metals used to make dental crowns include gold alloy and palladium alloy. Base metal alloys such as nickel and chromium are also used. When this type of dental crown is used, less of the tooth structure needs to be removed. These kinds of crowns stand up well to biting and chewing and do not wear down easily over time. They also are resistant to breaking, fractures, and chipping so there is no need to worry when chewing on harder to eat foods. The main drawback for most people is the noticeable color of the crown, but they are a good option for molars that can’t readily be seen because they are located at the back of the mouth.

Porcelain Fused to Metal Crowns

This type of dental crown can be matched in color to the rest of your teeth, however, this type is more susceptible to chips and breaks. These are a good choice for front teeth because of porcelains’ ability to match the natural color of your other teeth.

Resin Crowns

This type of dental crown is a less expensive option than the others due to the materials used. They do wear down over time and are more likely to fracture. Similar to porcelain fused to metal crowns, this type of crown can also be matched to the patient’s tooth color, and they look natural in the mouth.

All Ceramic or Porcelain Crowns

These give patients a better color match to teeth, and are the best choice for those with metal allergies. Unfortunately, the porcelain crowns can be more prone to fracturing, and may need replacing sooner than the metal crowns. As long as these crowns are cared for properly with no excessive force applied, they should last about as long as any other crown.

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Preparing the Tooth for a Dental Crown

Two office visits are usually required to get a dental crown. At the first visit, the Doctor will examine and prepare the tooth for a crown.Then, at the next visit he will place the permanent crown.

Initially, X-rays will be done to examine the roots and the bone surrounding the tooth. If there is a significant amount of decay, or if there is any risk of infection, a root canal may need to be done first. This is a dental procedure in which the doctor repairs a tooth that has been severely damaged or infected. The Doctor will begin this procedure by applying local anesthetic to the area to manage any pain that may occur due to infection. Than, he will remove decayed and infected portions to reveal the pulp chamber of the tooth, which he then clears out of all infected pulp and cleans. Finally, the Doctor will empty regions of the tooth and then fill with filler and cement to protect the tooth roots from saliva and bacteria.

Crowns Look and Feel Like Your Teeth

Once the tooth is free of infection, your doctor will reshape the tooth, and then a paste or a putty-type substance is used to make an impression of the tooth receiving the crown. Then, our office will send the impression to a dental lab that will make the dental crown. Finally, your Doctor will affix the temporary crown to your tooth while the permanent crown is made, which usually takes around 2-3 weeks.

After the temporary crown is placed, the Doctor will select a shade that best matches the patient’s other teeth. On the second visit, he will remove the temporary crown, and then check the permanent crown for a color match and fit. If it is acceptable, your dentist will cement it in place.

Other Uses for Dental Crowns

There are other types of solutions that dental crowns can offer, other than simply covering the restoration of a decayed tooth. Similarly, dental bridges can also use crowns, which replace a missing tooth. In this procedure, the Doctor prepares the adjacent teeth in a similar way for regular crowns to hold the pontic (the replacement tooth) in place. Additionally, crowns are used to cover up implants; implants are an alternative method to replacing a missing tooth, but in this procedure the Dentist implants a metal device into the jaw for a stronger and more permanent solution. Patients can visit our pages for Dental Implants and Dental Bridges to learn more about these procedures.

How Much Do Dental Crowns Cost?

Getting a dental crown is often a procedure that requires many steps for the completion of the restoration. Because of this, the pricing can vary. Below is a list of all possible procedures included in the crown restoration. These prices are the out of pocket costs for each procedure, and therefore do not reflect any coverage by insurance. Insurance will often cover these procedures at a certain percentage. For a full list of coverage and benefits, patients can give their insurance company a call or the insured employer’s HR department.

Procedure	Price
Root Canal – Anterior	$756
Root Canal – Bicuspid	$875
Root Canal – Molar	$1,153
Core Build-Up	$227
Crown	$1,075

How Long Do Dental Crowns Last?

Generally dental crowns will last anywhere from 5 to 15 years. However, the lifespan of any crown depends a great deal on the amount of wear and tear it is put through. It also depends on good oral hygiene practices. Occasionally if the restoration of the tooth is exposed, the work will either need to be redone or the tooth will need to be extracted. Depending on the type of crown, they can also be prone to chips and breakages.

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Caring for Your Temporary Crown

Temporary dental crowns are meant only to serve your needs while a permanent crown is being made for you. Although we make the temporary crown to resemble the final crown, it may not look exactly like the permanent one. It is not unusual to have some temperature sensitivity while the temporary crown is in place. This will, in most cases, be relieved by the replacement of the temporary crown with the permanent crown. Taking over the counter pain relievers as directed such as Tylenol or Ibuprofen should handle any post treatment discomfort. It may be a good idea to take one of these immediately after the appointment before you experience any discomfort.

After the procedure, the temporary cement requires about 30 minutes to set, so it is important to not chew during that period of time. Once set, patients should be able to use the temporary crown normally when eating, but sticky foods will stick to the temporary crown and must be avoided.

Temporary Crowns Are Not Meant to Last Forever

Temporary crowns are not strong; they may occasionally become loose, break or come off. Though this is not a dental emergency, please contact our office immediately, bring your crown with you and we will replace or re-cement the temporary crown. If this happens at night or on the weekend, replace the temporary crown on your tooth after filling the crown with toothpaste, Vaseline, or Fixodent to hold it in place until you can contact us to properly cement it. It is important that the temporary crown remains on the tooth to protect the underlying tooth structure. Without the temporary crown, your teeth may move and then the permanent crown may not fit.

Moreover, it is important to clean around the temporary crown as you would any other tooth, but not to brush or floss too vigorously around the temporary crown. Patients should be aware it is essential to keep the area clean and healthy, and to keep it from bleeding.

It is also imperative that patients return to our office at the appointment time to receive the permanent crown. Failure to do so may result in the need to re-prepare the tooth and re-make the crown at the patient’s cost. If patients have any unusual developments with their temporary crown, please contact our office.

Caring for Your Permanent Crown

Once permanent dental crowns are placed, patients should be aware of a few things to best care for the new crown. It is important to not chew on hard food with the restorations for 24 hours from the time they were cemented; to attain optimum strength, the cement must cure for approximately 24 hours.

Sensitivity is common after a permanent crown is placed, especially to hot or cold foods. This sensitivity will disappear gradually after a few weeks. Infrequently, sensitivity lasts longer than six weeks. Please notify us if this occurs.

To provide optimum longevity for restorations and to prevent future dental decay and supporting tissues breakdown, our Doctors may recommend the following preventative procedures:

Brush and floss after eating and before bedtime.
Use a fluoride rinse, swish vigorously for at least 30 seconds daily.
Brush with a fluoride toothpaste if prescribed by our office.
Use a WaterPik or a mechanical toothbrush as advised by us.

The most significant reason for prosthesis failure is an inadequate return for examination. Visit us at regular examination periods determined by your Doctor. Often times, problems that are developing around the crowns can be found at an early stage and corrected easily, but waiting for a longer time may require redoing the entire restoration.

Call us immediately if anyone of these conditions occur:

A feeling of movement or looseness in the crown.
Sensitivity to sweet foods.
A peculiar taste from the restoration site.
Breakage of a piece of material from the restoration.
Sensitivity to pressure.

Take The First Step To A Healthier Set of Teeth

Snellville Family Dental has applied dental crowns of all types, shapes, and sizes. Our Doctors work with their team of experienced and professional dental lab technicians to give you all of the information you need to make the right decision for you. They will sit down with you and explain everything you need to know, and discuss costs with you.

Overall, you will look and feel better about yourself, and your friends and family will notice the difference as well. Any pain you had before when eating will be gone. You will no longer have a reason to hide your smile.

If you want to learn more about dental crowns, or any of our other dental restorative procedures, Contact Us for all of your Dentistry needs.