Dental crowns, also known as caps, restore damaged teeth to their full strength, function, and appearance when fillings alone cannot provide adequate protection. These custom-made restorations completely cover the visible portion of a tooth above the gum line, providing a durable solution for severely decayed, cracked, or weakened teeth.
At Sonrisa Family Dental, our Chicago dentists create high-quality crowns using advanced materials and techniques to ensure your restoration looks natural and lasts for years. Our experienced team serves patients throughout the Chicago area, providing comprehensive crown services that protect your oral health while maintaining your smile’s beauty.
When You Need a Dental Crown
Several situations make dental crowns the ideal treatment choice for restoring damaged teeth. Understanding when crowns become necessary helps you make informed decisions about your dental care and prevents more extensive problems from developing.
Crowns can strengthen teeth with large cavities when there isn’t enough of the healthy tooth to hold the filling. They also protect weakened teeth from breaking and can restore teeth that are already broken or severely worn down from grinding or acid erosion.
Large Fillings and Decay
When tooth decay affects a significant portion of your tooth structure, traditional fillings may not provide sufficient strength for normal chewing forces. Crowns distribute these forces evenly across the entire tooth, preventing fractures and extending the tooth’s lifespan considerably.
Root Canal Treatment
Teeth that have undergone root canal therapy often require crowns because the procedure removes the tooth’s nerve and blood supply, making the remaining structure more brittle. A crown provides essential protection against fracture while restoring full function.
Cosmetic Enhancement
Crowns can dramatically improve the appearance of severely discolored, misshapen, or poorly positioned teeth. Modern crown materials can be matched precisely to your natural tooth color, creating seamless integration with your existing smile.
Types of Crown Materials
Modern dentistry offers several crown materials, each with specific advantages depending on your needs, budget, and the location of the tooth being restored. We help you choose the best option based on your individual circumstances.
Porcelain Crowns
All-porcelain crowns provide the most natural appearance and work especially well for front teeth, where aesthetics are paramount. These crowns can be precisely matched to your existing tooth color and translucency, making them virtually indistinguishable from natural teeth.
Porcelain-Fused-to-Metal Crowns
These crowns combine the strength of metal with the natural appearance of porcelain. The metal substructure provides excellent durability, while the porcelain overlay ensures an attractive appearance. They work well for both front and back teeth.
Gold and Metal Alloy Crowns
Metal crowns offer exceptional durability and longevity, making them ideal for back teeth where chewing forces are greatest. While less aesthetically pleasing than porcelain options, they require minimal tooth preparation and rarely chip or break.
The Crown Placement Process
Getting a dental crown typically requires two appointments spaced about two to three weeks apart. This timeframe allows our dental laboratory to create your custom restoration while ensuring proper fit and appearance.
During your first visit, we prepare the tooth by removing damaged structure and shaping it to accommodate the crown. We then take detailed impressions of your prepared tooth and surrounding teeth to ensure proper fit and bite alignment.
Temporary Crown Protection
We place a temporary crown to protect your prepared tooth between appointments. This temporary restoration allows you to eat and speak normally while maintaining the tooth’s position and protecting it from sensitivity or damage.
Final Crown Placement
At your second appointment, we remove the temporary crown and carefully check the fit, color, and bite of your permanent restoration. Once we confirm everything meets our high standards, we permanently cement the crown in place using strong dental adhesives.
Crown Care and Maintenance
Proper care helps your crown last 15-30 years or even longer. The key to crown longevity lies in maintaining excellent oral hygiene and avoiding habits that can damage the restoration.
Our comprehensive crown care recommendations include several important practices:
- Daily brushing and flossing: maintain the same oral hygiene routine you use for natural teeth to prevent decay around the crown margins
- Regular dental checkups: professional cleanings and examinations help identify potential problems before they become serious
- Avoiding hard foods: don’t chew ice, hard candies, or other objects that could crack or dislodge your crown
- Protecting against grinding: wear a nightguard if you grind or clench your teeth during sleep
- Using proper technique: avoid using your teeth as tools to open packages or bottles
The gum line around your crown requires special attention because decay can still develop where the crown meets your natural tooth. Proper flossing technique and antibacterial mouthwash help maintain healthy gums and prevent complications.
Same-Day Crown Technology
Advanced CAD/CAM technology allows us to create and place crowns in a single appointment for qualifying cases. This computer-aided design and manufacturing process eliminates the need for temporary crowns and multiple visits while providing excellent fit and durability.
Same-day crowns work particularly well for simple restorations on back teeth where aesthetics are less critical. The process involves taking digital impressions, designing your crown on computer software, and milling the restoration from a solid block of ceramic material.
Crown Alternatives and Considerations
While crowns provide excellent protection for damaged teeth, other treatment options may be appropriate depending on your specific situation. We evaluate each case individually to recommend the most conservative effective treatment.
Inlays and onlays offer a middle ground between fillings and crowns for teeth with moderate damage. These partial coverage restorations preserve more natural tooth structure while providing greater strength than traditional fillings.
Large fillings may suffice for cavities that haven’t compromised the tooth’s structural integrity. However, delaying crown treatment when it’s truly needed often results in more extensive and expensive treatment later.
Insurance and Financial Options
Most dental insurance plans provide significant coverage for crowns when they’re medically necessary rather than purely cosmetic. We work with your insurance company to maximize your benefits and minimize your out-of-pocket costs.
We accept most major insurance plans, including medical card insurance, and offer flexible financing options to make crown treatment affordable. Our team reviews all costs and payment options before treatment begins, ensuring you understand your financial responsibility.
Protect Your Smile with Quality Crowns at Sonrisa Family Dental
Damaged teeth don’t have to compromise your oral health or confidence. Our skilled team at Sonrisa Family Dental provides expertly crafted crowns that restore function, protect your teeth, and maintain your smile’s natural beauty. We use only the highest quality materials and the latest techniques to ensure your crown serves you well for decades to come.
Don’t let damaged teeth affect your quality of life. Schedule your consultation online to learn how dental crowns can restore your teeth and protect your oral health for years to come.
