Dental Crowns – Chevy Chase, MD
Rejuvenate Your Smile with Dental Expertise
If you’re struggling with one or more teeth that are injured, decayed, or lost altogether, a custom-made dental crown can help correct the problem and restore your oral health to its fullest potential. Contact our Chevy Chase practice today to schedule an appointment, or if you have any questions for our staff. Dr. Ronan Freyne looks forward to providing you with a skilled and comfortable and caring experience that leaves you ready to smile!
What is a Dental Crown?
Dental crowns are designed to cover individual teeth, helping to improve the shape, strength, and function of the dental structure while preserving the natural portion underneath. It simultaneously restores your oral health and boosts your appearance.
There are several reasons why our team may recommend a new crown, including the following:
- A tooth is suffering from advanced decay that is too severe for a filling.
- A tooth has an existing filling that needs additional support.
- A tooth has been cracked, fractured, or otherwise injured.
- A tooth is suffering from cosmetic dental imperfections that need correction.
- A missing tooth has been replaced with a dental implant that needs restoration.
The Process of Getting a Dental Crown
Having a dental crown created typically takes two appointments – one in which Dr. Freyne will prepare the new tooth and take a detailed impression to be sent to a dental lab, and another where we will place the finished, custom-made restoration over the affected tooth.
During the first appointment, Dr. Freyne will numb your mouth to ensure you’re completely comfortable. Once you’re good to go, he’ll prepare your tooth by removing a thin layer of enamel to ensure the restoration sits flush against the teeth. Impressions will be taken of your smile and sent off to a trusted dental laboratory for the creation of your final dental crown.
After about two weeks, you’ll return to the office for the placement of your restoration. We’ll make sure it fits properly and make any final adjustments as needed before cementing it into place. You’ll be ready to show off your beautiful new smile that very same day!
The Benefits of Getting a Dental Crown
By choosing to get a dental crown in Chevy Chase, you can expect to enjoy the following incredible benefits:
- Improved comfort and chewing ability
- Protect natural teeth from further damage
- Versatile cosmetic treatment that can correct various issues (i.e., staining, discoloration, damage, misalignment)
- Prevent the need for extraction down the line
- Ability to last over 15 years with proper care and maintenance
Understanding the Cost of Dental Crowns
As you consider dental crown treatment, you'll naturally want to confirm its price. (You won't know if it's affordable otherwise.) That said, the cost of dental crowns varies by patient; you’ll have to consult Dr. Freyne for an exact estimate. Only after consultation can our team make your crown affordable, all while walking you through its price factors. For more details on how that works, please keep reading or call us in the coming days.
Factors That Affect the Cost of Dental Crowns
Before treatment, Dr. Freyne must closely assess your tooth. Doing so helps him check factors that affect your dental crown’s cost, including:
- Severity of Damage –If your tooth is highly damaged, a dental crown will probably cost more. Teeth with major breaks or cracks often need a pricey root canal first.
- Dental Crown Material – In most cases, a dental crown’s material will also affect its price. Metallic ones (gold, silver, etc.) don’t cost that much, while ceramic or tooth-colored kinds are more expensive.
- Processing Method – A “traditionally” processed dental crown isn’t pricey, while one processed with CEREC technology is more expensive.
Beyond the points above, please remember that “cheap” dental crowns don’t work well. Their low price actually indicates their poor quality, which won’t help your treated teeth over time. If you want great long-term results, you should buy moderately-priced crowns instead.
Does Dental Insurance Cover Dental Crowns?
Most dental plans cover dental crowns, often meeting about 50% of the final cost. The reason is simple: insurance providers see a crown as medically necessary. Given that fact, a patient can often enjoy plan benefits if they meet their deductible first.
On the other hand, there are exceptions to this rule. A patient’s plan can sometimes have restrictions on crown coverage, not cover crowns at all, etc. You should thus confirm your insurance benefits before you commit to anything. If you’d like, our team can help you do so.
Other Options for Making Dental Crowns Affordable
Even without insurance, a dental crown can still be affordable for you. Simply rely on our practice’s helpful payment options to manage the final cost! After all, picking the right one can make an otherwise costly cap fit your budget.
Our office’s flexible financing program is a great example. This option lets patients pay for dental care through monthly installments, usually spread over 3, 6, or 12 months. Such payments are also interest-free to ensure your treatment is truly affordable.
While you should get a quality dental crown, you don’t need to “break the bank.” Just visit our office and let us help you finance your treatment!
Dental Crowns FAQs
Are Dental Crowns Permanent?
Dental crowns aren’t actually permanent, despite their high effectiveness. They only last an average of 5-15 years at most, based on how well you care for them.
The only wrinkle is that the dental crown “process” is irreversible. When a dentist reshapes your tooth during treatment, the removed enamel won’t grow back over time. It follows that your pearly white will always need a dental crown (or a similar restoration) going forward. (Otherwise, your tooth will face an increased risk of decay and sensitivity.)
Of course, you can always take steps to help your crown last. You just have to maintain it with regular dental checkups, good oral hygiene, and so on.
What Can I Eat with a Temporary Dental Crown?
You should only eat certain foods while using a temporary dental crown. The latter can help you chew comfortably, but it might fail if you eat the wrong dish.
For example, limit the sugary foods and beverages you have. Sugar could enter a small gap between your temporary crown and your gumline, making tooth decay likely. That means overindulging in sweets would put your overall treatment at risk.
You’d also do well to avoid very hot or cold foods. The temperatures from these items could impact your crown’s dental cement, causing the cap to loosen or fall out. Such foods are also likely to cause tooth sensitivity.
Can Dental Crowns Be Whitened?
Regardless of material, dentists can’t whiten dental crowns like your natural teeth. The caps’ design ensures they remain the same color over time.
It comes down to how modern teeth whitening works. To break apart stains, the treatment’s bleaching gel must directly enter your enamel’s tiny pores. Crowns lack such pores and thus can’t be whitened; they’d stay the same color after the whitening process.
On the bright side, there are workarounds for this issue. The ideal one is to undergo teeth whitening before your dentist places the final crown. That way, your cap would match your smile’s light and bright shade.
What Happens If You Wait Too Long to Get a Dental Crown?
Assuming you need a dental crown, waiting too long to get one puts your smile at risk. Doing so leads to oral health issues that cost you time, money, and quality of life.
If you excessively delay your treatment, your damaged tooth will remain exposed. That means chewing forces, food debris, and bacteria will further harm its enamel layer. As that process occurs, your pearly white may become so compromised that it needs a root canal or extraction. Either procedure would put more strain on your wallet and schedule than a crown would.