Your Complete Guide to Getting a Dental Crown

A dental crown is a tooth-shaped cap that replaces a damaged, cracked, chipped, or misaligned tooth. You might also need a crown if you have a cavity and there's not enough tooth left to hold a filling.

Getting a crown for a tooth is a very common procedure. Crowns (along with bridges) are the nation's largest expenditures for dental care and represent about 31% of all dental care expenses. So, if your dentist has recommended you get a dental crown for one of your teeth, you are certainly not alone. In fact, getting a crown can offer several benefits like improving the strength and appearance of your teeth.

Benefits of a Dental Crown

When your dentist puts a dental crown in your mouth, the goal is to help restore the tooth to its normal shape and size and improve your smile. Crowns can help with the following dental concerns:

• Strengthen the tooth and relieve tooth pain
• Improve the appearance of the tooth
• Provide structure for a tooth that needs a large filling
• Protect weak or cracked teeth from breaking further
• Restore already broken or chipped teeth
• Attach bridges in your mouth (which bridge the gap between two healthy teeth when a tooth is missing)
• Cover a tooth that is discolored or misshapen

What to Expect From the Procedure

When you are getting a crown for your tooth, it will most likely require two appointments to complete the treatment. Some crowns—like stainless steel crowns—are already tooth-shaped and can be put on in one appointment. These crowns, though, are typically used on children because their teeth (and the dental crowns) will still fall out before their adult teeth come in.

If you’re getting a crown that requires two appointments, your dentist will use the first appointment to prepare your tooth to be fitted for a crown so that it can fit securely in your mouth and be in line with your other teeth. Then, your dentist will take an impression of your teeth, which uses a tray of thick liquid to make a mold (similar to when you get braces). Once the impression has been made, they will send the mold to a dental laboratory where the crown is created. 

Because it can take as long as two weeks for a lab to make your permanent crown, your dentist will fit you with a temporary crown. This crown is designed to protect your tooth and hold the space that will be filled with the permanent crown later on. Since this crown is temporary, it can also come out easily—so your dentist will recommend that you avoid certain foods, such as gum, caramels, bagels, and crunchy or hard foods for the time being.

When it’s time to get the permanent crown placed in your mouth, your dentist will remove the temporary crown and fit you with the permanent crown. They also may take an X-ray to make sure the crown fits properly before cementing it in place. Normally, it takes a few days for you to get used to the new crown, so be patient with yourself as you adjust. The adjustment can also be easier by taking proper care of your teeth, such as brushing and flossing regularly.

Types of Dental Crowns

There are several different types of crowns that your dentist can choose from. Their choice will depend on your exact dental condition and which tooth (or teeth) are affected. These are the most common options:

• Stainless steel crowns: These dental crowns are pre-made and work well as temporary crowns, especially for little kids. When a crown is used in a child’s mouth to preserve a baby tooth, it will fall out when the child loses the tooth.
• Metal crowns: These crowns are ideal for people who are prone to teeth grinding or are particularly hard on their teeth. Not only do these dental crowns rarely chip, but they also tend to last the longest. The issue is that they do not look natural in your mouth, so they work better on your back teeth.
• Resin crowns: These dental crowns tend to be less expensive than other types of crowns, but they also are weaker and more prone to cracking. They also tend to wear down more quickly and may need to be placed sooner than a sturdier crown.
• Ceramic or porcelain crowns: While these crowns tend to match the color of your other teeth, they can also wear down your opposing teeth more than a metal crown. However, they make a good choice for anyone with a metal allergy.
• Porcelain fused to metal crowns: These crowns are made of metal but have a porcelain covering. While the metal used can make the dental crown stronger, the porcelain part of the crown is more prone to fracture than porcelain-only crowns. 

Risks

While getting a crown is typically a safe procedure, there are some risks that can occur. For example, your crown:

• Doesn't prevent cavities: Getting a crown does not prevent cavities. To ensure that the tooth under the crown doesn’t get a cavity, make sure you are brushing twice a day and flossing at least once a day.
• Can fall off: In some cases, the crown could fall off. This happens when the tooth holding the crown in place is too weak to keep the crown in place. If your crown falls off and the nerve is affected, you may need a root canal. Or, if the tooth cannot be saved, you may need to have it pulled and replaced with a dental implant.
• May chip or crack: This often occurs if you habitually grind your teeth or clench your jaw. If this happens regularly, your dentist may recommend a mouth guard at night to protect the crown while you sleep.
• Causes sensitivity: The nerve of your tooth could become sensitive to hot and cold temperatures when the crown is put in. This can be very painful for some people. There's also a chance that you experience gum pain or soreness, making it difficult to eat or swallow food.
• Might lead to an infection: In rare cases, it’s possible that bacteria can become trapped under the crown and cause an infection. Although this does not happen very often, if it does, it can cause pain, swelling, redness, and fever, which needs to be treated right away.

How Long Do They Last?

The lifespan of a crown can vary significantly and is largely related to the type of crown that you get. Adult crowns typically last between 10 and 15 years. But some materials are stronger than others. For instance, one team of researchers studied three different types of crowns and found that crowns made of zirconia were the least likely to crack or break.

How Much Do Dental Crowns Cost?

Several factors can influence how much a dental crown costs, including how challenging it is to treat the tooth needing a crown, the location of your tooth, and the types of materials used. Your dental insurance coverage, if you have it, will also play a role in the final cost. Overall, experts estimate that crowns can range in price on average from $1,600 to $3,500. How much of this is an out-of-pocket cost depends on your insurance plan.

If you do not have insurance to cover the procedure, you may want to look into a third-party financing company like CareCredit, if your dentist accepts this payment type. You can also talk to your dentist about a payment plan to pay the price of the crown in installments. The cost of dental care can feel steep, but please know that you have options available to cover the cost of your crown. Delaying getting a crown could mean more costly dental work down the road.

A Quick Review

Dental crowns are tooth-shaped caps that dentists use to replace weakened, damaged, or misaligned teeth. Getting a dental crown is a very common procedure. If your provider recommends getting a dental crown, you can expect to go to the dentist twice—once to make the mold for your crown and then to get the crown fitted over your tooth. Side effects of this procedure are minimal but may increase your risk of cavity and sensitivity, especially if you don't follow oral hygiene methods, such as brushing and flossing regularly.