Dental Crowns in Mauldin

What is a Dental crown?

A dental crown is a hollow false tooth that’s designed to cover up and protect your remaining enamel. Modern crowns are typically made out of tooth-colored porcelain and are bonded directly to your natural tooth to cover it up all the way down to the gum line.
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Because crowns cover and protect your entire tooth structure, they are ideal for repairing severely damaged teeth. While they are sometimes used for cosmetic purposes, they are mostly used to treat severely-decayed teeth, to repair teeth that have been cracked or broken by oral injuries, and to cover up teeth after root canal therapy.

Did you know…

The first modern porcelain dental crown was introduced way back in 1903, and today’s modern porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns were first used in the 1950s.

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what to expect at your dental crown appointment in Mauldin

initial consultation

To begin the process, you’ll need to come to Indigo Dental in Mauldin for a consultation with Dr. Michael or Dr. Meagan Crosland. They will examine your mouth and determine if a crown is the right choice for you.

tooth preparation

At your next appointment, your tooth will be trimmed to prepare for your crown. Your mouth will be numb during this process, so you won’t feel a thing. Once your tooth has been trimmed, Dr. Michael or Dr. Meagan will take impressions and photos of the tooth. Then, you’ll get a temporary crown and you’ll be sent home.

building the permanent crown

Dr. Meagan or Dr. Michael will send your information to a dental lab where a porcelain crown will be built based on the measurements and impressions they took during your tooth preparation appointment. It will usually take a few weeks for your crown to be made.

Final crown placement

When your crown has been sent to our office in Mauldin, you’ll come back for your final appointment. Dr. Meagan or Dr. Michael will remove your temporary, check the fit of the permanent crown, then bond it in place permanently.

Types of Dental Crowns Offered

Lab-Made Crowns

A crown that is specially fabricated in a dental lab out of specific materials for the patient’s desired aesthetic and durability priorities is known as a lab-made crown. First, we trim your tooth to create room for the crown to be placed on top. Under a local anesthetic, we use a dental drill to file a small amount of enamel around the tooth and shape them in a way that makes crown placement ideal.

Then, impressions or digital scans are taken of the tooth and sent to the dental lab that will fabricate your custom-made crown. A shade guide is used to match the shade of your tooth to the crown material if you are looking for a tooth-colored crown.

More durable materials like metal, zirconia, or porcelain-fused-to-metal can be used to protect the rear teeth from breakage and offer significantly more strength and durability. Using these impressions, they can create a mold of your tooth and match the dental crown to it in shape and size.

Crown fabrication will take a few weeks so we will place a temporary crown over your tooth for protection and to blend in with your smile in the meantime. Once your official dental crown is ready, we will call you back to the office to check how the crown fits and if it’s satisfactory, we will bond it to your tooth with dental cement.

Have questions about dental crowns? Find answers here.

can a dental crown save my tooth?

Yes. Except in the most extreme cases, a dental crown can be used to save a significantly decayed or damaged tooth. However, if the tooth is infected, you will need a root canal before you can get a dental crown. To find out if a crown is the right choice for you, contact Indigo Dental in Mauldin for a consultation.

how long will my crown last?

Most modern porcelain-fused-to-metal dental crowns will last up to 15-20 years, and it’s quite common for crowns to last even longer than this. The lifespan of your crown depends on how well you care for it, so we recommend brushing and flossing consistently, and see the team at Indigo Dental for checkups every 6 months.

does it hurt to get a crown?

No. The crown treatment process is painless since Dr. Michael or Dr. Meagan will numb your mouth before treatment. We even offer sedation dentistry to ensure you feel totally comfortable at our office throughout your treatment.

How Do I Care for My Crown?

Caring for your dental crown is all about knowing how to clean your crowns, protect them from wear and tear, prevent staining, and know what foods to avoid. You should brush your teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste for at least two minutes and floss once a day.

Even though your tooth is covered with a crown, this doesn’t mean that food particles can’t get stuck between your crown, gums, and surrounding teeth. It’s also important to brush around the gum line of the crown to prevent plaque buildup.

Crowns made out of ceramic or porcelain materials are stain-resistant but they can still become discolored over time if you smoke or consume a diet high in staining foods and drinks. Limit your exposure to staining foods and drinks by consuming them in moderation, drinking through a straw, and rinsing your mouth after eating.

Don’t eat foods that are hard or sticky, as these can dislodge or damage your crowns over time. Likewise, avoid force as much as possible. This means you should not chew on your nails, or ice, use your teeth to open packages, or grind your teeth. If you suffer from bruxism, you should wear a mouthguard while you sleep or you risk breaking your dental crown.

Are Crowns Covered By Insurance?

Dental crowns are commonly covered under restorative procedures and can be covered by 50%. However, dental insurance plans differ in their coverage, waiting periods, coverage limits, and copays. To get specific details on what your insurance will cover, contact your insurance company.

Dental insurance will only cover crowns when they are deemed medically necessary to protect a chipped, cracked, or weakened tooth from breakage. They will not cover purely cosmetic crowns.

As a result, some insurance companies may not want to cover certain crown materials like porcelain which are used to improve the appearance of the tooth. If you don’t have dental insurance, we offer financing options through CareCredit.