Dental Crowns

A crown is essentially a tooth-shaped cover that is cemented over your natural tooth or dental implant to restore the tooth’s strength, size, and appearance. A dental crown protects the remainder of the tooth and root structure.

Crowns can be custom-made, and their color and texture can be altered to match existing teeth. Crowns come in a wide range of materials, however, the most common are:

• Metal-alloy Crowns

• Porcelain-Fused-with-Metal Crowns

• Full Metal-free Crowns

Do I Need a Crown?

Dental crowns are typically recommended to a patient when tooth decay has damaged most of their natural tooth. Once teeth have decayed too badly on the outside, the general filling is no longer an option.

Before looking into the different types of dental crowns and cost, how can you know for sure if you need a crown, an inlay, an onlay, or just a filling?
- Well, after a thorough examination during your first office visit, your dentist will evaluate your particular case, and guide you on possible treatments.

Generally, some of the most common causes of getting a dental crown are:

• A weakened tooth after severe decay or cavity

• To cover an implant

• To replace a large filling

• A natural tooth that is damaged or cracked

• A tooth that has undergone a root canal (especially posterior teeth)

Dental Crown Procedures

Fitting a dental crown is typically a two-visit procedure, and it will be done on-site in our office.

Visit 1:

• Any remnants of the decayed tooth will be removed, and it will be filed down to make room for the crown.

• Impressions will then be taken.

• The impressions are sent off to a dental lab for the manufacturing of the permanent crown.

• A temporary crown will be set in place in the interim.

Visit 2:

• At this time your temporary crown will be removed and your permanent crown will be attached with a special adhesive.

• Your crown should look, function, and feel like a regular tooth, and you’ll have your natural smile back!

What Type of Dental Crown Should I Choose?  

When you need a crown, you immediately start thinking about the types of dental crowns and costs. This is because today there are many different types of crowns that vary depending on materials, cost, procedures, and patient’s needs.

The main types of crowns used in dentistry include:

1. Zirconia Crowns

Starting at $699 per crown

Zirconium is a relatively new material that combines the strength of metal with the aesthetics of porcelain crowns. High translucent zirconia and layered zirconia crowns have become a more popular choice lately.

The main advantages of Zirconia Crowns are:

• They provide good aesthetics

• They are strong and long-lasting (less possibilities of chipping or breaking).

• The process can be less time consuming because zirconia can be cut and shaped at the same dental office. There’s no need to send them over to a dental lab.

• Zirconia Crowns are less likely to wear down due to their strength.

• They are biocompatible: as metal free crowns, they are not likely to cause allergic reactions.

The main disadvantages of Zirconia Crowns include:

• Their strength can make the teeth they bite against wear down easily.

• Solid Zirconia can be difficult to adjust

• opaque esthetics, may look monochromatic.

2. E- MAX: Lithium Disilicate Crowns

Starting at $999 per crown

The newest type of crown in dentistry today is known as E -Max. It is a type of all-ceramic crown made of lithium disilicate (which is also light and thin).

The main advantages of E-MAX crowns are:

• Great aesthetics. They look great in your mouth.

• They can be durable and very strong.

• They provide a great choice both for front and back teeth.

  The main disadvantages of E-MAX Crowns include:

• They could be more expensive, especially to the dentist (who may or may not transfer that cost to you)

• Some dental professionals have reported failures using E-Max for posterior teeth, especially when doing multiple units.

3. All Porcelain Crowns

Starting at $999 per crown

This is definitely the most popular type of crown used nowadays. They are entirely made of porcelain material.

The main advantages of Porcelain Crowns are:

• Porcelain or ceramic crowns provide the best and most natural look. They match your surrounding teeth in shape, size, and color.

• The best option for front teeth restorations.

• They are biocompatible: that means no metal is used, so they are toxic-free.

The main disadvantages of Porcelain Crowns are:

• They are not as strong as metal crowns. Porcelain crowns can last a long time, but they have to be well taken care of.

• Patients who suffer from bruxism should opt for gold of PFM

• They may be more costly than other types of crowns, such as metal crowns.

4. Gold Crowns

Starting at $1900 per crown

Gold crowns are in fact a combination of copper and other metals, such as nickel or chromium. The main advantage of gold crowns is their strength and durability.

For back restorations -and depending on each patient’s needs- some dentists may suggest a gold crown as the preferred option. However, gold crowns don’t make a very popular choice today due to their color and aesthetics.

The main advantages of Gold Crowns are:

• They are strong and highly resistant

• They last a long time if properly cared for

• Less proportion of your natural tooth needs to be removed

• They wear down quite slowly, just like natural enamel

• They are ideal for posterior restorations (back teeth), especially second molars

The main disadvantages of Gold Crowns are:

• Poor aesthetics: They obviously don’t look like a natural tooth

• Gold alloy crowns can affect some people and produce some side effects such as allergic reactions or swelling

5. Porcelain Fused-to-Metal Crowns (PFM)

Starting at $999 per crown

Porcelain fused-to-metal (PFM) crowns are another widely used type of dental crowns. They provide both strength (due to their metal structure) and aesthetics (due to the porcelain coat that covers the cap).

The main advantages of PFM crowns are:

• They provide great aesthetics and durability

• They’ve been around for over 50 years. We know they work well.

• They are less costly than all porcelain crowns

The disadvantages of PFMs are:

• The metal in these crowns may cause a grey line at the gum line. This may not give the 100% aesthetic look that all porcelain crowns provide.

• For people who clench their teeth, this type of crown may wear down more easily against the opposing teeth.