All you should know about dental crowns

If you have a dental problem and considering dental crowns to fix it, you need detailed information about the procedure. Understanding the types of dental crowns, materials used in making dental crowns, their cost, and how to care for the crown will help you make a detailed decision and avoid common problems people face with dental implants.  

The information below covers all important things about dental crowns, the procedure, and what factors affect your dental crown cost.

Important reasons why you need a crown

Dental crowns St Albans can help repair the teeth when they are extensively damaged beyond repair using a filling. A crown can cover the visible part of the tooth to the gum line, protecting the tooth from all angles and is durable enough to accommodate normal chewing and biting. This helps you go about your day without avoiding certain foods. When a tooth is damaged and needs a crown, the tooth can break down without a dental crown procedure.

Below are four reasons you may need a crown

• Decaying or broken teeth

If your tooth is broken or decayed, the dentist will do the following:

Procedure – remove the damaged part of the tooth, including the cracked or decayed areas, then take an impression of the tooth. The dentist will fit a temporary crown in the affected areas while waiting for the permanent crown, which takes about two weeks. Getting the dental crown will require two visits.  

Reason for the crown – if you do not get a crown for a decayed or broken tooth, the tooth will wear down, requiring extraction. The existing decayed area may expand further, affecting the root canal.  

• Dental implants

Procedure – getting dental implants involves several procedures done over several months. When the implants integrate with the jaw bone, the dentist will attach the abutment to it. The abutment serves as a support for a dental restoration such as a crown. After placing the abutment, the dentist will take your dental impression to ensure the crown fits the other teeth.

Reason for a crown – dental implants serves as the root of the missing tooth. For aesthetics and proper function, you need a crown on the implant abutment. If you’ve lost more than one of your teeth, you may need a bridge consisting of one row of crowns placed side by side.

• Root canals

Procedure – root canals, also called endodontic therapy, treat painful abscesses or dying nerves inside a tooth. A root canal is necessary if you want to preserve a tooth and prevent tooth extraction. Your dentist will likely offer you a temporary crown after the root canal, and then you will get the permanent crown after a few weeks.  

Reason for a crown – teeth treated with a root canal are no longer alive, so the tooth structure becomes brittle. Placing a crown on the tooth treated with a root canal will preserve the tooth, supporting your chewing and biting teeth movement. A crown on a tooth treated with a root canal protects your smile.  

• Dental bridges

Procedure – the dental bridge procedure is similar to getting a crown. The dentist will prep the supporting teeth and take impressions to design the bridge. You will wear temporary crowns on the abutment teeth for some weeks while waiting for the permanent restoration.

Reason for a crown – Dental bridges can replace missing teeth, but they require a functional crown. An end of a dental bridge consists of a crown. The fitting and design process is the same, but the crown is fused to the adjacent pontic to fill the gap.  

Types of crowns

• Porcelain fused to metal (PFM)

PFM crowns consist of two materials: metals and porcelain. The underlying part of the crown is made from metal to make a cap which the dentist will bond to the underlying tooth. A layer of porcelain is placed over the metal, altering the crown’s external appearance.  

The dentist cannot bond porcelain on metal in the office, but it can be crafted in the dental lab under high temperatures. PFM is a more traditional cosmetic dental crown that offers durability with a metal base and an aesthetic finish that matches the other teeth.

• Metal and gold alloys

Metal crowns made from precious material such as gold alloys are available, but they are not as common as tooth-coloured crowns. However, crowns made with metal and gold alloys are suitable for specific situations due to gold’s functionality as a dental restoration.  

Most people who get gold crowns fit them on the upper back teeth or areas that aren’t visible. Gold crowns are suitable for teeth that support heavy lead since gold can resist the force needed for biting. This makes gold crowns suitable for the back teeth, which support heavy pressure.  

• Stainless steel crowns

Stainless steel crowns are the cheapest and are mostly used as temporary crowns or protecting the baby teeth that will remain for a while but have suffered extensive abscesses or decay. Stainless steel crowns have a silver colour and are biocompatible. People allergic to metal find stainless steel crowns to be a better alternative.  

Stainless steel crowns are perfect for children whose mouths are still developing, and you won’t be spending a lot since the covered tooth will fall out later on.  

• Ceramic crowns

 Different zirconia, ceramic and porcelain crowns are available, and your dentist can select anyone who matches your teeth. You can opt for a ceramic crown to restore a tooth in the front of your mouth, top off a dental implant or prevent metal from being visible.  

The main advantage of ceramic crowns over others is their aesthetic appeal. You can create a ceramic crown from different hues and shades. Technological advancements have also made ceramic crowns more durable than they were in the past.  

• All-resin crowns

Resin crowns are temporary white crowns either made in the dentist’s office during an appointment or prefabricated. Resin crowns usually serve as temporary crowns or restore baby teeth in older children who do not want a conspicuous crown.  

All-resin crowns can serve as an alternative to temporary stainless crowns when temporary crowns are needed. Your dentist can place a resin crown on your tooth while you wait for a permanent porcelain crown.

Other types of dental crowns

• Temporary crowns

A temporary crown is a must-have if your dentist will fit your permanent crown on the second visit or if a child is having the treatment. A temporary crown protects the tooth and has aesthetic benefits. An uncrowned, prepped tooth is prone to breakage and sensitivity, so fitting a temporary crown is necessary before getting the permanent one.

• Stainless steel or resin

Resin and stainless steel crowns serve as a temporary fix. These crowns cannot withstand long-term use, and your dentist will recommend using them for a few weeks or a couple of years. Using resin or stainless steel crowns for a long people increases your risk of dental crown problems.

• One-day crown

Same-day dental crowns such as CEREC use 3D CAD/CAM imaging to digitally scan the prepped tooth and create a permanent custom crown within a short time. With the virtual imaging equipment, your dentist will not need to take physical dental impressions. The high-resolution information will get converted into the milling equipment then transformed into a solid ceramic, which serves as a crown. This usually takes about one hour.

• Onlay or 3/4 crown

Inlays and onlays, also known as three-quarter crowns, are a smaller version of a full crown. Inlays and onlays are usually gold or ceramic, and they cover only a part of the tooth surface. You can get inlays and onlays when some part of the tooth is still healthy. Inlays and onlays serve as a middle ground between a full cap and traditional filling, but some dentists do not offer them.

Pediatric dental crowns

Some children, especially those that need a pulpotomy or suffer from aggressive tooth decay, need a crown for the affected tooth. Although the baby teeth will later fall out, they still need a crown because if the tooth falls out too early, it can result in a chain reaction that may cause major orthodontic issues. These orthodontic issues include crowding, impacted tooth and shifting tooth.

Procedure for dental crowns

You can get your dental crown in a or two visits, depending on the type of crown you want to fit and dental technology in your dentist’s office.

Several types of dental crowns are available, and each offers a specific advantage for some situations, which makes their fitting and creation process different.

Below are procedures for each type of dental crown.

One-visit dental crowns

Two types of same-day dental crowns are available. They include CAD/CAM designed permanent crowns and temporary crowns. Their procedure includes:

• Temporary crown

A temporary crown is hand-designed from resin or stainless steel or prefabricated. The dentist can use a cement bonding or special dental cement to secure the crown on your enamel. If the crown is for a child, the dentist will use a temporary cement.

• CAD/CAM

The 3D fabricated crown such as CEREC is the most common same-day crown. This crown uses CAD/CAM technology similar to the technology used for 3D printing, but instead of printing, the scanner uses the data from a virtual mould of the tooth and carves a custom-made crown from a solid block of ceramic. You can have a crown that matches your other teeth in one appointment.

• Multiple-visit crowns

The traditional crowns usually require two visits.

The first visit

On the first dental visit, the dentist will numb your tooth with a local anaesthetic and remove the damaged tooth structure. The dentist will prep the tooth by reducing the overall tooth shape, making room for the crown to fit over the tooth. After the prepping, the dentist will take impressions of the tooth to send to the lab.

If you’re getting a ceramic crown, the dentist will choose a material colour that matches your teeth, then fit a temporary crown over the prepped tooth to reduce sensitivity and protect the remaining tooth structure.

• The second visit

On the second visit, two weeks after the first appointment, the dentist will remove the temporary crown and cement the permanent one. The dentist may carry out little adjustments on the permanent crown to ensure it fits the tooth. The second visit takes a short time and does not require a local anaesthetic.

Aftercare

The recovery process for a dental crown is slightly different from the traditional filling. In the first couple of days after a dental crown fitting, you may experience tooth sensitivity or experience difficulty eating. However, you can have your regular meals after some days and resume your normal dental hygiene routine.

After getting dental crowns, you need to take some special steps to aid better and faster recovery. 

• Pain management

Experiencing mild to moderate discomfort after dental treatment, including dental crown, is normal. However, you may experience additional discomfort as your nerves react over some days to weeks. You can take Motrin or ibuprofen for the pain, but inform your doctor if the symptoms persist for more than some weeks. In rare situations, the dentist may have to apply a desensitiser or carry out a root canal.

• Eating

Wait for a few hours to allow the numbing medication to wear off before eating anything. Chewing when the numbing medication hasn’t worn off can lead to accidentally biting your cheeks, tongue or lips.

In the first few days after getting a dental crown, try chewing with the other side of your mouth. Avoid sticky or crunchy foods when you start chewing with the crown until the bonding is completely secure. After the cement cures, you can eat your regular meals but avoid biting straight into foods like taffy and caramel.

• Cleaning

Cleaning your crown every day is a must to ensure it lasts long. In most cases, dental crown problems arise from poor oral hygiene. The first couple of days after the dental crown procedure, use a water flosser, toothbrush and irrigation.

Afterwards, you can use a traditional floss and water flosser, but ensure you clean the edges of the crown every day.

Care for a temporary crown

Temporary crowns serve as a temporary fix until the permanent crown is available. A temporary crown does not have a tight or strong seal against the teeth like the permanent crown, making a different care routine important.  

You can brush the temporary crown like your normal teeth, but opt for a water flosser to clean around the edges of the crown because the regular floss may get stuck or shredded. If the dental crown is on a baby tooth, use a floss pick or traditional floss to clean the sides of the tooth, but do use the floss gently.

Caring for a dental crown

Taking proper care of your dental crown can make it last longer. Dental crowns need thorough cleaning every day to prevent bacteria from accumulating in the edges of the crown or under the crown.  

Ensure you keep the following in mind when caring for your dental crown.

• Immediately after the procedure

For 1 – 2 days after the procedure, you need to be delicate with the crown to allow the cement underneath to harden completely. Ensure you avoid chewing with the area you have the crown, using string floss and eating sticky foods to prevent the crown from pulling off.  Flossing after the cement hardens is important to clean the edges of the crown.

• Routine care

After the bonding agent cures completely, you can resume your daily brushing and flossing routine. Caring for a crown is the same as caring for your other teeth. While flossing, gently wrap the floss around your crown and slip it up and down its sides and below your gum line.

If something is stuck between the crown tooth, do not force it out, but you can use a water flosser if you don’t feel comfortable using floss around the crown. However, ensure you floss.

Most people think that flossing with a string can pull out their crown if they apply much pressure while using the floss, but not flossing will likely cause your crown to fall out, unlike flossing. The cement underneath the crown is strong, and if flossing pulls off the crown, there is a high chance that the crown will eventually come off.

Problems associated with a dental crown

Identifying problems that may likely arise from using a dental crown, including a temporary crown, can help you avoid them. The following are issues that may occur from using a dental crown.

• Sensitivity or discomfort

Experiencing tooth sensitivity is normal in the first couple of days and sometimes weeks after the dental crown procedure. The sensitivity is common because the dentist will reduce the tooth thickness around the nerve, which leaves your nerves more sensitive.

You can use desensitisers and other products recommended by the dentist to help prevent tooth sensitivity after the procedure.

• Dark gumline (exposed metal)

Depending on the material used to make a crown, your gum line may have a dark grey line close to the edge of the crown. This side effect is more common in people who get porcelain fused to metal (PFM) crowns because porcelain material coats the metal crown and tapers off at the edge.

When your dentist fits a crown on your tooth, the margin of the crown rests close to the gums and do not go under the tooth. If you look at the tooth closely, you will notice a dark line. This effect is a common reason most people do not opt for PFM crowns for their front teeth.

• Chipped crown

Like your natural teeth, dental crowns can chip. Clenching and grinding your teeth or accidents can chip porcelain crowns, and you can’t repair the crown when they chip, but you can change the entire crown.  

Depending on the location of the chip and the position of the crown, your dentist can smoothen it. For porcelain fused to metal crown, the metal base will become more exposed.

If you usually grind your teeth, you may need a protective nightguard to prevent your crown from getting damaged.  

• Crown falls out/ loose crown

Your dentist will attach the dental crown to the affected tooth using dental cement, but the bonding agent can get compromised, causing the crown to become loose or fall out. Eating sticky foods can create high suction to pull out the crown, and failing to floss may lead to bacteria buildup underneath the crown or around the edges.

If the underlying tooth is shorter, your dentist may have to build up the tooth to create an additional base to prevent the crown from falling out. In some cases, the dentist will re-cement the crown or replace it.  

• Allergic reaction

If you are allergic to metal, ensure you inform your dentist. You may be allergic to metal crowns if you have breakouts from certain jewellery, such as non-precious metal necklaces and earrings. Although allergy to a dental crown is rare, you still need to discuss with your dentist if you want a crown made of metal.

• Gum disease

If you have unhealthy gums, your crown and the underlying tooth may fall odd. When you do not floss under your crown and around the edges, it may lead to gum infection and bone loss around your teeth, increasing the risk of tooth loss. If you feel nervous about using a floss, opt for a water floss.  

While brushing your teeth, ensure you keep the toothbrush at an angle towards the spaces between your teeth and gums. This helps remove plaques before they form tartar. Accumulated plaque along the tiny edges along your gums increases the risk of gingivitis, the first stage of gum disease.

How long does a dental crown last?

Some dental crowns are more durable than others. For example, stainless steel and resin crowns are temporary and do not last long, but other dental crowns can last for 5 – 10 years with proper care.

Your dental crown could last longer, but dental problems such as decay around the crown resulting from not flossing can make the crown fail prematurely. 

Good oral hygiene, regular dental check-ups, wearing a nightguard if you grind or clench your teeth and flossing daily will ensure your dental crown lasts long.  

What is the cost of a dental crown?

Cost is an important factor that affects people who want to get a dental crown. Different dental crown materials are available, including varying designs and types, which determine the cost of the dental crown.  

The cost of dental crowns varies, depending on the type of dental crown you choose, your location and your dentist. Below is an estimated cost for different dental crown designs. This cost applies to a tooth. 

Type of crown	Cost
Porcelain fused to metal	£600 – £1000
Porcelain crown	£600 – £2500
Precious metal or gold crown	£550 – £1100
Stainless steel	£250 – £400
All-resin crown	£400 – £1000

Additional costs may apply for other steps such as pins, buildups and getting a sedative during the procedure.  

With this information above, you can make an informed decision when getting a dental crown. You can schedule today an appointment for dental crowns in St Albans at St Albans Dental Clinic.