1. Crowns: Not Just for Royalty
A dental crown procedure involves placing a cap over a real tooth or implant. A crown is needed when tooth structure has been weakened due to decay or cracking. It can be done to restore a tooth to its normal shape and size, and is usually used on teeth with large cavities that otherwise cannot be restored or on fractured teeth, to increase the longevity of a root-canaled tooth. A crown may also be used as part of a bridge.
2. Crown Materials Vary Widely
The material used to make your crown can vary from metal--including gold and silver--to porcelain and ceramic. Metal crowns don't look natural, so are used primarily in the back of the mouth. Ceramic is the most popular material, as it looks most like a natural tooth. To learn more, visit the website of the Consumer Guide to Dentistry and read about crowns (www.yourdentistryguide.com/crowns).
3. Cracks Need Caps
A tooth fracture is a prime reason for a crown cap procedure. Symptoms of a cracked tooth include mouth and jaw pain, gum and tooth sensitivity to temperature, and pain upon biting down that actually resolves when pressure is taken off the tooth.
You can help prevent tooth fractures by limiting chewing of very hard substances (such as ice), obtaining a bite guard if you grind your teeth while sleeping, and refraining from getting your tongue pierced.
4. A Crown by Any Color
Once applied, a crown cannot be lightened, even if you use a tooth-whitening product on it. If you know you need a crown cap procedure, and you desire a whiter smile, you should whiten your teeth before the procedure. That way, your dentist can choose crown cap material that matches the color of your teeth.
5. Not too Painful
The crown cap procedure requires a reduction of the tooth (when the cap is being put on a real tooth), or if the cap is going on an implant, then an anchor will be screwed into your jaw and the cap placed on it.
If your real tooth is involved, it will need to be made smaller, and you will be anesthetized before the procedure. If your tooth has already been subject to a root canal, you will not need to be anesthetized.
As for the pain to your wallet, the cost of a crown cap procedure can vary depending on the specialty of the dentist. A specialist in crowns and bridges would use a high-end lab to fabricate the crown, and might charge around $1,000. A general dentist might charge between $400 and $800.
