Living with an injured, fragile, or broken tooth can be inconvenient at best and painful at worst. Luckily, a tooth that has been weakened by damage or decay can be restored to its former integrity with a state-of-the-art dental crown, a sturdy restoration designed to enhance function as much as aesthetics! If your tooth needs a little extra support, Dr Clarence Tam and our skilled dental team can place a custom-made dental crown to protect your tooth and resolve pain, sensitivity, or reduced biting ability.
- What are Dental Crowns?
- Dental Crown Benefits
- Dental Crown Candidates
- Dental Crowns vs. Dental Bridges
- Types of Dental Crowns
- Dental Crowns Procedure
- Dental Crowns Results
- Dental Crowns Cost
- Complementary Treatments
What are Dental Crowns?
A dental crown is a ceramic or porcelain “cap” that is custom-designed to cover the top of your tooth for additional support and reinforcement. Crowns are often used when a cavity is too large for a filling, but they also have a variety of other uses, including:
- To strengthen a damaged tooth
- To restore a tooth that is worn down or has suffered extensive decay
- To protect a tooth after a root canal
- To anchor a dental bridge
- To cover a dental implant
Crowns are utilized in many different restorative dental treatments and often play a key part in achieving a healthy, well-functioning smile. Many older types of all-metal dental crowns can be very conspicuous in the mouth, but the aesthetic crowns at Tam Dental Group are fabricated to match the exact color, shade, and proportions of your teeth for a beautiful result that blends in with your smile.
What are the Benefits of Dental Crowns?
Dental crowns are incredibly versatile — they can help alleviate pain caused by a cracked or damaged tooth to strengthen your bite, or be placed in complement with larger restorative treatments, such as implant bridges or root canal therapy. When placed by a talented dentist, the benefits of dental crowns may include:
- Custom-made to fit perfectly within your smile
- Color-matched to the shade of your surrounding teeth
- Can be placed in two office visits or less
- Minimal tooth preparation necessary, allowing patients to preserve as much natural tissue as possible
- Non-surgical solution to fix damaged teeth
- No major downtime necessary after treatment
While the benefits of dental crowns are primarily functional, our custom-made crowns can also enhance the aesthetics and symmetry of your smile. They can be considered an “upgrade” from the older metal crowns typically utilized in the past.
Is a Dental Crown Right for Me?
Dental crowns don’t require oral surgery and can help countless patients improve the form and function of their smile. In general, individuals who struggle with dental pain or enamel damage may consider a dental crown to help reinforce a weak tooth. Key to successful treatment is a clean, healthy mouth prior to getting a dental crown. If you have any signs of infection, gum disease, or problematic bacteria buildup, gum disease treatment or a cleaning may be performed before you start the dental crown process. Rest assured that Dr Tam and our skilled dental team will let you know exactly what to expect during your consultation.
Dental Crowns vs. Dental Bridges
Dental crowns and dental bridges can both be excellent solutions to improve the function and appearance of your smile, but these restorations serve very different purposes. A dental crown is a custom-made “cap” that covers and protects a damaged or weakened tooth, restoring the appearance of a healthy tooth while blending harmoniously with the rest of your smile. Crowns are commonly used to restore enamel affected by large fillings, fractures, severe decay, or to strengthen a tooth after root canal treatment. They are also frequently used to top dental implants. In contrast, a dental bridge is designed to replace one or more missing teeth by filling the gap with a custom restoration anchored to the surrounding natural teeth or dental implants.
In general, dental crowns are recommended when a natural tooth is still present but structurally compromised. They reinforce the remaining tooth structure, preventing further damage while restoring full chewing function. Crowns are also essential components of implant dentistry, as they serve as the visible portion of an implant restoration. Dental bridges, on the other hand, are used when one or more teeth are missing entirely. They rely on neighboring teeth for support, making them a great option when the surrounding teeth are healthy enough to hold a bridge securely in place. Dental bridges may be used with dental implants to restore multiple teeth depending on the span required and position in the dental arch.
Types of Dental Crowns
The best material to fabricate your dental crown will depend on the location of your tooth and your unique needs. The types of crowns available at our practice include:
- Zirconia: Often referred to as “ceramic steel,” zirconia crowns are praised for their strength and durability as much as their lasting beauty. Not all dental practices offer zirconia, so our team is thrilled to provide our patients with this dynamic restoration option. Zirconia restorations are biocompatible, meaning they do not require an allergy test, and can often last as long (or longer) as metal-based crowns. They typically resist corrosion and can even shield your teeth against sensitivity caused by hot and cold foods. Due to their longevity, zirconia crowns can be an ideal solution to restore the back molar teeth.
- Composite: Dental crowns made of composite resin are tooth-colored, allowing them to appear indistinguishably among your surrounding teeth. While they can be very enduring, composite crowns are typically not as strong as porcelain or ceramic restorations. However, they are generally more economical than other materials.
- Porcelain: All-porcelain crowns can provide a stunning match to your natural tooth color and offer a more enduring option when compared to composite resin. They can be a particularly effective choice for patients who have a metal allergy, or who need to restore one of their front teeth.
- Porcelain-fused-to-metal: These crowns consist of a porcelain cap fused to a metal base. Porcelain-fused-to-metal can be a sturdy material to protect the molar teeth (posterior composite restorations) while still providing natural-looking aesthetics.
In certain cases, our dentist may suggest an inlay or onlay to support your tooth rather than a dental crown. These restorations can sometimes be a better treatment option for patients who only need protection for a portion of their tooth, as opposed to the entire tooth structure.
What is the Dental Crown Procedure Like?
Dental crowns are manufactured in an advanced dental laboratory to help ensure the highest degree of quality and precision possible. First, your dentist will examine your concerns and discuss your goals with you to confirm that a dental crown is the best option to restore the health and beauty of your tooth. An impression of your tooth and mouth will be taken to achieve a comfortable, natural fit for your porcelain or composite crown. One week is typically required to fabricate your restoration. At your next appointment, your dentist will prepare the affected tooth for crown placement while conserving as much natural tissue as possible. Patients report little to no discomfort during this process, although we do offer personalized sedation dentistry techniques to alleviate any anxiety about treatment. The crown is then bonded to the top of your tooth with a durable cement, generally resulting in a long-term solution to recover the form and function of the weakened tooth.
How Long Do Results From Dental Crowns Last?
On average, dental crowns can last between 10 and 15 years, though many can endure well beyond 20 years with proper care. The longevity of a dental crown depends on several factors, including the material used, your oral hygiene habits, and the health of the underlying tooth and surrounding gums. High-quality materials such as porcelain-fused-to-metal, zirconia, and all-ceramic crowns are designed to withstand the forces of daily chewing while maintaining a natural appearance over time.
Regular brushing, flossing, and professional dental cleanings are essential to extending the life of a crown. Patients should also avoid habits that place excessive stress on the restoration, such as teeth grinding, nail biting, or chewing hard objects. In some cases, a custom night guard may be recommended to protect crowns from nighttime clenching or grinding.
How Much Do Dental Crowns Cost?
At our Auckland practice, a single dental crown typically costs between $1,350 and $2,350. The price generally fluctuates according to the details of each patient’s treatment plan, such as:
- The type of crowns placed
- The location of the crown
- The amount of tooth preparation necessary
- Your insurance (if applicable)
After your consultation, our team will be able to provide you with a personalized quote, as well as your different payment options. If you prefer to manage the cost of dental crowns with small monthly payments, we accept dental financing from Q Mastercard®—a leading provider of flexible long- and short-term payment plans for qualified patients in New Zealand. Please call our office if you have any questions, or if you would like to learn more about our dental pricing.
Treatments Complementary to Dental Crowns
Dental crowns can be used on their own, or in combination with other treatments to restore damaged or missing teeth. When paired with complementary procedures, crowns can play an integral role in rehabilitating your smile, as well as addressing other complex restorative or cosmetic needs. Common treatments that work in conjunction with dental crowns include:
- Dental Implants: Dental implants often serve as the foundation for a crown when a natural tooth is missing entirely. The implant itself is a titanium post surgically placed into the jawbone, acting as an artificial tooth root. Once the implant integrates with the bone — a process known as osseointegration — a custom-made dental crown is attached to the top, completing the restoration.
- Dental Bridges: Dental bridges frequently incorporate crowns as part of their restorative structure. With a traditional bridge, crowns are placed on healthy teeth adjacent to a gap, anchoring the custom prosthetic (pontics) securely in place. The crowns serve as the supportive elements that stabilize a restoration and distribute bite forces evenly across the bridge.
- Root Canal Therapy: When a tooth becomes severely decayed or infected, root canal therapy may be performed to remove the affected tissue and save the natural tooth structure. Following treatment, the tooth is often weakened and more susceptible to fracture. A dental crown is then placed over the treated tooth to reinforce its strength, restore its shape, and protect it from further damage.
- Full Mouth Rehabilitation: For patients with extensive wear, multiple missing teeth, or significant dental damage, full mouth rehabilitation often combines crowns with other restorative and cosmetic procedures to rebuild the entire mouth. This comprehensive approach may include a customized combination of crowns, implants, bridges, veneers, and bite-aligning treatments like SureSmile® to restore overall oral health, aesthetics, and function.
While mainly used for restorative purposes, crowns also offer meaningful aesthetic benefits. Dr. Tam and our team can examine your teeth and work with you to determine the best pathway towards achieving a healthy, fully functional dream smile.
Questions? Reach out to our practice to schedule a consultation, or for additional information about our services.