Dental Crowns – Edmond, OK
Renewing the Function & Beautify of Your Tooth
Although your tooth enamel is the hardest material in your body, it doesn’t mean your smile is immune to damage. Whether over time or with one wrong bite, you can potentially wear down or break a tooth. Leaving it unaddressed can risk future damage or infection, and since it won’t regenerate on its own like your normal bones, you’ll need to get it repaired as soon as possible. That’s where dental crowns in Edmond come into play! With these custom and durable restorations , we can effectively improve the appearance and structure of your damaged tooth so that you can enjoy a comfortable bite again. Keep reading to learn more or call us to schedule your consultation.
Why Choose Bluff Creek Dental for Dental Crowns?
- Utilizes Tooth-Colored & Lifelike Dental Materials
- Offers CEREC Same-Day Restorations
- Accepts Dental Insurance & Financing
What Is a Dental Crown?
Dental crowns are tooth-shaped caps that our team can precisely design to cover the top of your damaged teeth, allowing them to blend perfectly with the rest of your smile. The material is incredibly durable and is meant to hold the tooth together while protecting it from further harm. Our team will also match the crown with the same color as your tooth enamel, as the material can closely mimic your natural pearly whites. In the end, a dental crown is a reliable restoration that can renew the function of a compromised and/or weakened tooth while keeping it safe from further damage. This advanced restoration can be constructed from a variety of materials, such as metals, porcelain-fused-to-metal, ceramic, and zirconia.
The Dental Crown Process
Most traditional dental crowns will require at least two visits to complete the process. Firstly, your dentist will need to evaluate your oral health and determine if you’re eligible for the treatment before preparing your tooth for restoration. Your team will numb your mouth completely before shaving down a layer of your enamel to make space for your dental crown. Impressions will be taken and sent to a dental lab for fabrication, which can usually take a few weeks. You’ll wear a temporary crown until the final restoration arrives. You’ll then return to get it placed, asking any questions you may have. Your team will verify your results are correct and satisfactory before sending you on your way.
While traditional crowns are reliable, our team at Bluff Creek Dental can use CEREC technology to construct these restorations in just a single visit! We’ll prepare your tooth and take impressions like normal, but we’ll use this information to fabricate your dental cap in-office instead. After a couple of hours, you should be able to enjoy your newly restored smile.
The Benefits of Getting a Dental Crown
With dental crowns, you can be sure to appreciate a wide variety of advantages to your smile, including:
- Improved eating, chewing, and speaking without discomfort
- Preserve compromised teeth and avoid potential extraction
- Protection against decay, infection, and further damage
- Lifelike and durable materials for a flawless blend with your smile
- Enhanced function and appearance of your tooth
Understanding the Cost of Dental Crowns
When it comes to paying for your customized dental crowns, it’s important that you understand the various factors that are considered when building your final estimate. During your meeting with Dr. Crowley, you can expect to learn what goes into making a custom crown as well as what you can do to minimize your out-of-pocket expenses. Read on to discover how you can better plan for the cost of your dental crowns and how you can save.
Factors That Affect the Cost of Dental Crowns
Apart from learning how your dental crown will work to protect your smile, Dr. Crowley will go over the different factors that he will survey during your consultation. These not only help to build a personalized treatment plan but also the cost estimate.
While in this meeting, he will determine the type of tooth that needs treatment as well as where it is located, if additional services are required to address other oral health problems (i.e., gum disease), how the tooth will be created (in-house or off-site), and which material is best to ensure optimal protection and aesthetics.
You can expect your cost analysis to include a breakdown of these details so that you can understand how much you’ll need to pay for your new tooth as well as what you can do to save on expenses.
Does Dental Insurance Cover Dental Crowns?
Each dental insurance plan is different, so you cannot expect your friend’s policy to be the same as yours. Before agreeing to any kind of treatment, you’ll want to review your plan to determine if or how much they will agree to cover. While most plans do offer coverage for dental crowns (between 50-80%), this is not always the case. If you need help to determine the type of benefits you have for this type of restorative care, you can always ask our dental team. We’ll be happy to review your plan and go over what kind of savings you can expect.
Other Options for Making Dental Crowns Affordable
At Bluff Creek Dental, Dr. Crowley understands that not all patients have dental insurance. But this should not be a reason for a person to neglect their oral healthcare needs. To keep patients from forgoing treatment, he is pleased to provide an in-house dental program that makes it easy for individuals to enroll.
Instead of navigating the red tape of dental insurance, you and your loved ones can sign up for an in-house plan that requires only a small membership fee that is paid regularly. This allows you access to various preventive services as well as discounts on other high-quality treatment options.
Another option for affordable payment is flexible financing through CareCredit. Similar to a credit card, this third-party financier makes it easy to pay for your designated services. You can then pay off the balance on the card based on your chosen plan and rate.
Dental Crown FAQs
How Long Do Dental Crowns Last?
One can generally expect dental implants to last between 5 and 15 years, but this can vary depending on the type of crown you have and where it is located in your mouth. Oftentimes, the longevity of your crown will depend on individual factors, like your diet, oral hygiene, and whether you have any bad oral habits, like smoking or grinding your teeth. Crowns in the front of the mouth may last longer than crowns on the molars because they aren’t subjected to as much wear and tear.
Do Dental Crowns Get Cavities?
Dental crowns themselves cannot get cavities because they are not made from tooth enamel. However, the tooth being protected by your crown can still develop cavities. In fact, a crown tooth has about the same risk of decay as an uncrowned tooth. Poor oral hygiene makes it possible for plaque and bacteria to form around the gumline where your tooth meets the crown. They can then travel underneath the crown and cause issues. Fortunately, you can prevent cavities in the same way you would for an uncrowned tooth. Brush twice, floss, and use mouthwash every day. Continue seeing your dentist for regular cleanings and checkups.
What Happens If You Wait Too Long to Get a Dental Crown?
Dentists will only ever recommend a crown if you really need one. You may be tempted to put off this procedure, but it is best to schedule it immediately if it’s been suggested by your dentist. Waiting too long to get a crown will leave the tooth exposed to chewing forces, food debris, and bacteria. This can cause decay and damage to worsen. Eventually, you could even need a root canal or extraction.
Can Dental Crowns Be Whitened?
No matter what your crown is made of, it can’t be whitened like your normal teeth can. Tooth enamel has tiny pores where whitening gels can enter and break apart stains, but dental restorations do not. Metal-free crowns are designed to blend in with your surrounding teeth as closely as possible. If you are unhappy with the appearance of your crown, don’t hesitate to discuss it with us. This is a valid reason to have it replaced.