Dental Crowns – Moses Lake, WA

Restoring A Tooth's Strength, Beauty and Function

A natural tooth is comprised of two main parts: the root (below the gumline) and the crown (the white, visible portion you see above the gumline). When a tooth has been damaged from a cavity or fracture, Dr. Nick Smith begins by assessing how much of the natural crown has been affected. If the damage is fairly minor, he can usually repair it with a filling. If it’s more extensive, a dental crown may be necessary to restore the tooth’s function and appearance. If any of your teeth are in need of repair, give us a call. As a dentist in Moses Lake with over 20 years of experience, Dr. Nick Smith will recommend the ideal treatment for your smile!

Why Choose Moses Lake Family Dentistry For Dental Crowns?

Beautiful, High-Quality Materials Used For Every Custom Crown

Friendly & Experienced Dentist and Staff

Personalized Treatment Plans For Results That Look Natural

What Is a Dental Crown?

Dental crowns are sometimes called “caps” because they fit snugly over the entire crown of a tooth. They completely replace any damaged tooth structure to enable your tooth to look and function normally again. Dr. Nick Smith will carefully match the color of your crown to your existing smile so that it looks very natural. This way, no one but you and our team will know you’ve had dental work.

What Kind of Problems Do Dental Crowns Treat?

Here are just some of the issues that dental crowns in Moses Lake are perfect for:

Repairing cavities that are too large to be repaired with a filling.
A crown restores a tooth's strength after a root canal (which removes its blood supply and leaves it brittle and prone to breaking).
Single dental implants are restored with dental crowns.
When a tooth is at risk for breaking because it's been weakened by multiple fillings, cracks, or chips.
A crown can make dramatic cosmetic changes to the color, shape, or structure of a tooth.

What Is the Procedure Like?

Here are the basic steps involved in getting a dental crown:

Harder will start by numbing your tooth and removing any damaged tooth structure. He'll also make your tooth smaller in size to make room for your dental crown and make sure it doesn't look or feel bulky.
Next, we’ll take digital impressions that are much easier and more comfortable than using putty. These impressions are used to custom-create your new crown, which typically takes about 2 weeks.
In the meantime, you'll wear a temporary crown until you return a second time to have your permanent crown cemented into place.

Maintaining Your Dental Crown

Dental crowns last an average of 15-20 years with basic maintenance. Along with regular checkups and cleanings, make sure to practice good oral hygiene at home. Your crown itself won’t develop a cavity, but the tooth underneath it can if the exposed enamel near the gumline isn’t kept clean. It’s also a good idea to wear a nightguard if you clench and grind to prevent chips and fractures.

Dental crowns are a great way to save badly damaged teeth and will give you a healthier smile for many years to come. If you have any questions or think you may need a dental crown, give us a call today!

Understanding the Cost of Dental Crowns

One of the things we’ll need to discuss before you can get a dental crown is how much your restoration will cost. Your crown will be made with your unique smile in mind, so the final price will vary depending on what your needs are. We can help you make the best financial decision for your smile by creating an estimate at your initial consultation and discussing ways you can manage the overall cost, such as dental insurance and financing.

Factors That Affect the Cost of Dental Crowns

Obviously, if there are multiple teeth that need to be treated, you can expect to pay for more than one crown. However, there are several other factors that need to be accounted for as well:

Sometimes you might get a dental crown as part of another procedure that you’ll also need to pay for. For example, if a tooth is badly infected, it may have to be treated with root canal therapy, and a crown will need to be placed afterward.
Not all crowns are the same; they can potentially be made out of a variety of materials. Feel free to speak to one of our team members if you would like to learn more about the materials we use for crowns and how they can influence the overall cost.
In the long run, the quality of the crown can make a difference for your bank account. Crowns made of cheaper materials often don’t last as long, meaning you have to pay to replace them more often. A higher quality crown may cost more but can also last longer in many circumstances.

Does Dental Insurance Cover Dental Crowns?

It’s often hard to give a universal answer when it comes to dental insurance since there are many different plans to choose from. That said, if a crown is medically necessary, it will likely be covered by insurance. Coverage is often somewhere around 50% of the total cost. Don’t forget that you will typically need to meet a deductible before your dental plan starts paying for your treatment. Our team can clarify the details of your plan for you, and we can take care of any claims that need to be filed.

Options for Making Dental Crowns Affordable

Are you having trouble paying the full cost of your dental crown all at once? You can pay in smaller installments instead by signing up for CareCredit financing. One of the advantages of CareCredit is that they have multiple plans to choose from, many of which have low to no interest.

Please let us know if you have concerns about being able to afford your dental crown. Our team members would be happy to help you apply for CareCredit, and they can gladly give you a detailed explanation of how financing works at our office.

Dental Crowns FAQs

As one of the most versatile treatments in the field of dentistry, dental crowns are also incredibly common. Chances are high that someone you know has at least one crown. That being said, you probably still have some questions before you commit to the treatment. Dr. Nick Smith will be sure to teach you all that you need to know when you visit him, but until then, we encourage you to read through this list of dental crown FAQs.

Are Dental Crowns Permanent?

Technically, dental crowns in Moses Lake are not permanent, but they can protect your tooth for an average of 15 years or longer, provided you take good care of them. However, the process of preparing your tooth for the crown is irreversible – it involves removing a very small amount of enamel from your tooth, which does not grow back. From that point on, the tooth will always need some sort of restoration over it for protection. Keep in mind, though, that the crown should help the damaged underlying tooth avoid damage and help it last for much longer than it may have otherwise.

Does It Hurt to Get a Dental Crown?

When preparing your tooth for a dental crown, the first step is always to numb your mouth with a local anesthetic. Dr. Nick Smith will make sure you can’t feel a thing and that you’re fully comfortable before he begins. If you need a bit of help relaxing, or if you have difficulty getting numb, we may offer nitrous oxide sedation to make things easier for you.

After getting a dental crown, you may experience mild soreness or sensitivity in that tooth, but it should only last for a few days. During this period, feel free to take over-the-counter pain medications as directed by your doctor. Definitely give us a call if you experience pain that worsens instead of subsiding.

Do Dental Crowns Feel Natural?

Once your permanent crown has been placed, it should feel just like any other tooth. In fact, that’s why we reshape your tooth prior to placing the crown; it prevents the restoration from sticking out compared to the rest of your teeth. Plus, our advanced digital dental scanner captures remarkably accurate impressions of your mouth, creating a precise model for your crown.

What Happens If You Wait Too Long to Get a Dental Crown?

Generally, Dr. Nick Smith will only recommend a crown if a tooth really needs it and can’t be repaired with more conservative methods. While you might be tempted to avoid scheduling the crown procedure, especially if the tooth isn’t bothering you, it’s better in the long run to get it taken care of sooner rather than later. If you were to wait too long, the tooth could sustain even more damage or decay. Eventually, the tooth might become so weak that it can’t support a crown; it may need root canal therapy or even an extraction! To preserve the tooth and help it stay as healthy as possible, we highly recommend scheduling your dental crown procedure soon after Dr. Nick Smith lets you know that you need one.

How Long Do Dental Crowns Last?

Dental crowns last somewhere between five and fifteen years on average, but this can vary significantly based on the material the appliance is made from and the quality of the care it receives. While metal crowns may last longer than metal-free ones, the difference is frequently negligible. The best ways to keep your crowns in great condition are practicing excellent oral hygiene, taking care to regularly clean along the seam between your tooth and your crown, limiting your sugar consumption, and kicking bad habits like smoking, teeth grinding, nail-biting, ice chewing, and using your teeth to open packaging. Crowns placed on the teeth in the front of the mouth may last sightly longer than those placed on molars since the teeth in the back of the mouth endure more pressure during the chewing process.

How Do You Know When a Dental Crown Needs to Be Replaced?

While only a qualified dentist such as Dr. Nick Smith can determine if your crown is ready for replacement, you may notice a few signs that say your appliance is near the end of its life. These include:

Pain: If the tooth supporting your crown becomes decayed, the appliance will have to be removed and probably replaced so the infection can be treated.
Instability: If your crown is moving around on your tooth, the cement holding it in place may be compromised and in need of repair.
Degraded appearance: Your metal-free crown should help you maintain a beautiful smile, so cosmetic defects like stains and chips can be reason enough to have it replaced.
Dark line: If you have an old-fashioned porcelain-fused-to-metal crown, it may start to show a black line around its base as the ceramic portion separates from the metal part due to age. This can be indicative of advanced wear that means your appliance needs replacement.

Do Dental Crowns Get Cavities?

While it’s impossible for dental crowns to develop cavities, the teeth supporting them can still become infected, and a crowned tooth is just as likely to suffer decay as an uncrowned one. This is most likely to happen due to poor oral hygiene habits that allow plaque and food debris to accumulate around the gumline and cause destructive dental infections. You can keep your restored teeth in great shape by brushing and flossing daily, using antibacterial mouthwash, limiting your sugar consumption, refraining from using your teeth as tools, and visiting our office in Moses Lake regularly for exams and cleanings.