At Sage Dental, our dentists invest time and attention to fully understand your objectives and the look you want to achieve. Every detail is considered in designing your new smile and selecting the right crown materials that will produce the most attractive, natural looking, and affordable results.
When is a Crown Needed?
When extensive decay, or a crack, compromises a tooth’s structural integrity you’ll need a crown. Sometimes referred to as ‘caps,’ they can easily last 20 years or more. Crowns are used when there is not enough good tooth structure to hold a filling. They are custom-made to your dentist’s specifications.
What to Expect
Your dentist removes and cleans the decayed or cracked area, shaping the tooth so that it can anchor the crown. In some cases, the core of the tooth may need to be built up. After an impression is taken, you’ll get a temporary crown while the new one is being made – which typically takes less than 2 weeks. You’ll be able to match the color or choose whiter shades if you like.
The crown needs to fit tightly and be a close match to the shape of your original tooth. Once it feels right, your dentist will bond it so that it forms a continuous seal around the tooth. The seal and feel will depend on:
your dentist’s skill in preparing and shaping the underlying tooth
the measurements taken for the crown and how precisely it is made to those specifications
the quality of the bonding materials and how your dentist applies them.
What Materials are Used to Make a Crown?
Ceramic/Porcelain
E-Max – all-ceramic based on lithium disilicate glass. Long lasting with a very natural looking translucency. No metal means no grey line around the base/under the gumline. Excellent strength and fracture resistance mean they can be prepared in very thin sections – minimizing the amount of the natural tooth structure that needs to be removed.
Zirconia – full or a core of zirconia with a porcelain outer layer. Full zirconia crowns have similar properties to E-Max, although they may not be as cosmetically attractive.
Porcelain – fused to metal. Extremely durable because the inner metal frame provides the porcelain with a structural foundation.
Alloys – made from gold/copper or non-noble metals. These are very strong and require the least amount of healthy tooth removal prior to fitting. They are gentlest on opposing teeth.
How Much Does a Dental Crown Cost?
At Sage Dental, we offer a variety of affordable dental crown treatment options. Because we serve over half a million patients, we have buying power that gives us pricing that benefits our patients. Find a location near you and call us today for more information on pricing.
If you do not have dental insurance, learn more about our Sage Dental SageCare+ program, where you can save up to 65% off our standard fees on all general, specialty and even cosmetic dental care. We also offer a number of financing options to help make this treatment accessible to all of our patients.
