Dental Crowns – Burien, WA
Protect and Preserve Your Natural Tooth
It’s natural to worry about the state of your smile if you have a pearly white that’s become severely damaged or decayed. You might find yourself asking whether it can be saved or if you’ll have to replace it. Fortunately, Dr. Lam can protect and preserve your natural tooth with a lifelike dental crown. In addition to restoring its functionality, this cap also enhances your appearance so you can once again feel confident in your smile.
Keep reading to learn more about this popular prosthetic, and feel free to contact us for more information or to schedule your consultation.
Why Choose Seahurst Smiles of Burien for Dental Crowns?
- Skilled Dentist with 10 Years of Experience
- State-of-the-art Technology for Increased Accuracy
- Flexible Financing and In-House Memberships Available
What is a Dental Crown?
A dental crown is a tooth-shaped cap that’s made of a resilient, lifelike material like EMAX ceramic or zirconia. They’re bonded over teeth that have cavities or sustained injury to protect them from additional harm. Plus, they allow you to continue to use your natural pearly whites to eat and speak. This treatment allows Dr. Lam to save your vulnerable natural teeth that might otherwise require extraction and replacement.
Dental crowns are also used to anchor dental bridges in place, cover a dental implant, shield a tooth that’s undergone root canal therapy, or cover a misshapen or severely stained tooth.
The Dental Crown Process
Before Dr. Lam can fit you for a dental crown, you must have a consultation appointment so he can verify whether you’re a good candidate. He’ll examine your mouth to determine whether it’s the best solution for you based on your circumstances.
If it’s determined that this is the best method to rebuild your grin, then our team will take X-ray images of the vulnerable tooth and surrounding jawbone. Next, Dr. Lam will remove a thin layer of enamel so that the crown won’t appear bulky compared to neighboring teeth.
Once that’s complete, we’ll take digital impressions of your tooth which builds a 3D blueprint that is sent to our chairside CEREC same-day crowns milling machine. As soon as your prosthetic is created, Dr. Lam will clean it and ensure that it fits properly before cementing it in place.
The Benefits of Getting a Dental Crown
There are many advantages to getting your dental crown in Burien, including:
- Improved articulation. You press your tongue to your teeth to form certain words and sounds and when one is missing, you may develop a lisp or other issues enunciating. Your dental crown refills your grin so you can speak more normally.
- Prevent potential problems. Your dental problem won’t resolve itself and will only get worse in time. It could sustain additional cracks or breaks or spread infection to your neighboring teeth or jawbone. Covering it ensures that it remains safe from additional harm.
- Enhanced appearance. One of the first things that people notice about you is the condition of your smile and if yours is full of holes, you might become overly self-conscious. Filling the gap restores your sense of self-confidence.
- Long lasting results. Dental crowns can last 15+ years with the right care and are made of durable materials that resist chips and stains.
- Simple maintenance. Taking care of your restoration is as easy as brushing and flossing your teeth twice daily and having a dental checkup every 6 months.
Understanding the Cost of Dental Crowns
Even though dental crowns can be the exceptional solution you need for repairing a decayed or damaged tooth, you’ll want to know about their price before moving forward with the treatment. During your initial consultation, our team will walk you through the entire process as well as how much you’ll have to pay depending on various factors revolving around the procedure. Keep reading to learn more about the cost of dental crowns in Burien and your available financing options to help you minimize your out-of-pocket expenses.
Factors That Affect the Cost of Dental Crowns
Some of the biggest contributing factors to the overall price of your dental crown treatment include things like the level of damage or decay your tooth has suffered and the types of materials used to construct your restoration(s). We will thoroughly evaluate your situation and consider these aspects to create a more accurate estimate for the price of your procedure.
When you arrive at our office for an initial consultation, our team will examine your affected tooth via a visual assessment and digital imaging. This will provide us with a clearer look at the issue while we develop the proper method or treatment plan that best resolves your specific situation.
If you need to undergo a root canal treatment to address severe decay or require a dental implant to help rebuild a missing tooth, then these procedures can add to the total cost of your care. The materials used for our crowns will typically involve E-max and zirconia—both of which come with their separate prices.
Does Dental Insurance Cover Dental Crowns?
Dental crowns are typically considered by dental insurance companies as essential for oral health care, so you’ll usually expect the procedure to receive some coverage. The amount involved the majority of the time can be anywhere from 50-80% of the entire price, so it’s always best to make the most of your benefits while you can. Of course, every insurance plan will be different, so you’ll need to speak with your provider for the details of your policy. We also have a team of experts on this matter who can help you navigate your benefits as well as file claims on your behalf.
Options for Making Dental Crowns Affordable
Even if dental insurance isn’t in the books for you, it wouldn’t automatically be the end of the line. Our team wants to ensure that every patient has the best chance to get the care they need when they need it most. That’s why we offer an in-house membership plan that offers discounts on various treatments that we provide. You might even consider signing up for CareCredit—a third-party financier that can turn the entire price of your procedures into monthly installments with little-to-zero interest attached.
Dental Crown FAQs
What Can I Eat with a Temporary Crown?
Although temporary dental crowns look and feel very similar to the real thing, they aren’t. That’s why it’s so important that you avoid chewing on that side of your mouth and stick to soft foods, like applesauce, yogurt, and oatmeal. You should also limit your intake of sugary foods and beverages to help prevent new decay from forming. Once your final dental crown is securely in place, you’ll be able to resume your normal diet again.
How Long Do Dental Crowns Last?
Dental crowns typically last anywhere from 5-15 years. Ultimately, the longevity of yours depends on how well you care for it. For that reason, we recommend brushing and flossing consistently, eating a well-balanced diet that’s low in added sugar, coming in twice a year for a dental checkup and teeth cleaning, and not using any tobacco products.
Note: If you notice any abnormal symptoms – from pain when biting down to dental sensitivity stemming from that area of your mouth – schedule an appointment with our Burien dental team so we can determine if something is wrong with your dental crown.
Do Dental Crowns Get Cavities?
Dental crowns cannot get cavities. Of course, the tooth underneath still can. That’s why it’s so important that you adopt healthy habits, like brushing twice a day and flossing each evening. This will help ensure that your teeth and gums remain healthy, and your restoration stays in pristine condition both now and for years to come.
Can Dental Crowns Be Whitened?
Unlike your teeth, dental crowns consist of dental materials like porcelain. As a result, they cannot be whitened with over-the-counter whitening kits or professional brightening treatments. That said, we can replace your current dental crown with a new one if you are no longer happy with the color.
Is It a Dental Emergency If Your Crown Falls Off?
Whether your dental crown is loose or it has completely fallen off, you should contact us ASAP to share what happened. From there, we can determine if a same-day visit to our office is necessary. If it isn’t, then we will give you specific instructions on what to do until you arrive, like placing some dental wax over any sharp edges of your tooth and not chewing on that side of your mouth.
What Happens If You Wait Too Long to Get a Dental Crown?
If your tooth doesn’t hurt, you might be tempted to put off getting a dental crown. However, the longer you wait, the more time the root of the problem has to progress. In fact, there may come a time when more extensive restorative care is needed, like a root canal or tooth extraction. At Seahurst Smiles, our goal is to take the most conservative approach possible, which is why we recommend getting a dental crown when we first bring the decay, crack, or fracture to your attention.