What Is the Dental Crown Procedure?

Once you and your dentist have determined that a savage dental crown is the best next step in your dental treatment plan, the dentist will need to have a full and complete idea of the tooth or teeth you are addressing.  This idea will start with an x-ray to give the dentist the exactly where the tooth is most vulnerable, and the area being addressed must be above the gum line for the dental crown to be most effective.

After the x-ray confirms where the damage is and how serious the damage is, the dentist needs to remove the damage from the tooth or teeth.  Once the decay is removed, the dentist will reshape your tooth and prepare it for the crown to ensure a proper fit.  The dentist will need to take an impression for the crown to ensure that the replacement tooth fits both the space left between the other teeth as well as your bite.  Often the dentist send the impression to a lab where the technicians will create a custom crown for you and your specific tooth in the material and color that you and your dentist chose to meet your needs.  For your custom creation, the lab will need two to three weeks to finish, but the dentist may choose to place a temporary crown in place to help protect your tooth and prevent any further damage.

Finally, the dentist will remove the temporary crown and to set the permanent one in place once you and the dentist have decided the replacement crown created by the lab is the correct permanent one.  The dentist will fit your crown with your other teeth properly and ensure it works with your bite.  A dental cement will permanently bond your new crown to your remaining natural tooth.

Caring for Dental Crowns

After the removal of decayed tooth and reshaping of the natural tooth, your mouth may be sore.  Once the crown is in place, your mouth should be nearly back to normal.  It may take some time for the new crown to feel normal, and you may want to avoid very crunchy or very sticky food to ensure you and your crown are most comfortable.  At home oral care helps but you still need to maintain your dentist visits for regular checkups and cleanings.  Brushing twice a day with the addition of flossing is one of the best habits to ensure you are doing everything you can to keep your mouth as healthy as possible in between your cleanings at the dentist office.

Associated Costs

The total bill at the end of the procedure will vary from patient to patient; your personal price will be determined by how long dentist works on your procedure, the materials the dentist uses, number of appointments, and the amount of work the dentist invests in your smile.  Your dental insurance plan will help cover the costs of many procedures and many of the steps in the procedures.  If you have questions about your payment options for your treatment plan, please talk to our staff at any time to clarify any concerns.  We want your wallet to feel as healthy as your smile.

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