Dental Crowns – Vero Beach, FL
Rebuilding Broken Teeth
Maybe you didn’t have a cavity treated in time and now a significant portion of the tooth is decayed. Or perhaps your smile is generally healthy, but you suddenly ended up with a broken tooth after an accident. Damaged teeth can be a serious oral health issue, and you should call the Premier Dental team as soon as possible to have them treated. In many cases, the answer for restoring your smile is a durable dental crown made just for you.
Why Choose Premier Dental for Dental Crowns?
- Highly Trained Prosthodontists
- Lifelike, Long-Lasting Materials
- Fully Customized Restorations
What is a Dental Crown?
Dental crowns are time-tested restorations that have been around in one form or another for thousands of years. A single crown can completely cover your tooth to bring it back to its original size and shape. Not only can it protect the tooth, but it also strengthens it to the point where it can safely be used for chewing again. In many cases, your crown can be made out of material that resembles enamel so that the restored tooth still looks natural.
You may be a good candidate for a dental crown if you have a badly fractured tooth or if you have a particularly large cavity. It may also be necessary to place a crown after a root canal treatment, or we might attach one to a dental implant to replace a single missing tooth.
The Dental Crown Process
Having a dental crown placed typically involves these steps:
- Our team will examine your mouth to confirm that you’re a candidate for a crown.
- Small amounts of enamel will be filed away from your tooth to create space for the restoration to help it stay in place.
- We will take an impression of the prepared tooth and the tooth below it. This is to ensure that your crown fits properly and doesn’t cause problems for your bite.
- A temporary crown will be placed on your tooth.
- A dental lab will create your permanent crown and send it to our office for placement.
- The final restoration will be attached to your tooth, and we’ll give you instructions for taking care of it.
The Benefits of Getting a Dental Crown
It’s no surprise that dental crowns have been used for so long. After all, there are plenty of advantages to having them placed, such as:
- Keeping Your Teeth Safe: Leaving any kind of dental damage exposed could cause it to grow worse, but a dental crown can help ensure that your tooth stays protected.
- Letting You Chew Normally Again: Once your damaged tooth is restored, it will no longer be an obstacle to enjoying your favorite foods.
- Improving Your Smile: Covering up dental damage with a natural-looking crown can make it easier for you to show off your grin without worrying about its appearance.
- Durability:Dental crowns can last a long time. Well-maintained ones might even be able to stay in the mouth for 15 years or more.
Dental Crowns FAQs
Are Dental Crowns Covered by Insurance?
When choosing to use your dental insurance to cover the cost of dental crowns in Vero Beach, you can expect your insurer to pay a portion of the total cost, not all of it. Also, if you have one or more crowns placed for cosmetic purposes, it’s unlikely they’ll be covered at all.
Dental insurance companies only pay a portion of treatment when it is medically necessary, so if you have damaged or decayed teeth that need repair, you can expect anywhere from 50-80% of the total to be picked up by your insurance company.
Do Dental Crowns Get Cavities?
No, a dental crown cannot develop a cavity; however, the tooth that resides underneath the restoration can still be vulnerable to decay and damage. This is why it’s important to take proper care of your dental crown so that bacteria, food particles, and other debris do not access the tooth underneath.
While it is true that dental crowns cannot last forever, requiring replacement after 15+ years, you can be sure to practice good oral hygiene, see your dentist every six months for a dental checkup and cleaning, and avoid harmful habits to keep your smile healthy day after day.
What Can Happen If You Wait Too Long to Get a Dental Crown?
Waiting longer than necessary to receive a dental crown can put the remainder of your smile at risk. Not only can decay spread to nearby teeth and other areas of the mouth, but you might require a more invasive method of treatment to fix it, such as a root canal or tooth extraction.
The best step you can take is to seek professional treatment as soon as possible if you notice that your tooth needs added protection. Also, if you have an existing crown and believe it needs work, don’t wait to come in and see us.
How Can You Tell When a Dental Crown Needs to be Replaced?
In most cases, your dentist in Vero Beach will be able to tell you if you need to have your dental crown replaced. However, if you notice any of the following before arriving for your appointment, you can expect to be recommended for treatment.
Some of the most common signs associated with dental crown replacement include:
- Pain that resides underneath the crown
- A dark line that forms along the base (this will usually only occur when using amalgam materials)
- A loose crown that could fall out when trying to eat
- Your crown is damaged (i.e., chipped, cracked, or discolored)
The best thing you can do is call and schedule an appointment with your restorative dentist right away. This will give you the greatest chance to save your smile and avoid further problems in the future.