There are several types of procedures that your dentist may perform on your mouth depending on your mouth’s condition. 

Even though bondings, cavity fillings, and teeth cleanings are part of some of the routine sessions, some procedures are more common, involved and easy to carry out.

Besides the extraction of your root canals and wisdom tooth, there may be times when your Mt Airy Dentists will recommend a dental crown procedure. 

Dental crowns are available in different forms, and you need to be able to differentiate on which dental crowns are the best for your situation. 

Referred to as a cap, a dental crown is a fixed prosthetic device that is cemented on a tooth and can only be removed by your Mt Airy Dentist once it’s been fixed. 

Crowns are largely used to cover damaged tooth, strengthen it and enhance its overall appearance.

They are also used to prevent tooth decay as well as teeth alignment in the mouth. Crowns are created by taking the impression of the tooth or teeth that they will be covering. 

Before any of your tooth’s impression is created, your dentist will first need to reduce the size of your tooth to allow the crown fit properly. 

A temporary crown may also be placed on the particular tooth before the permanent one is made. 

So, what dental crown options can my Mt Airy Dentist recommend?

Types of Dental Crowns 

Probably you’ve had a root canal treatment procedure or retreatment, and you are wondering what the best dental crown material is for you for your crown procedure. 

But because dental crowns are not just made from one material, you find yourself in limbo when making a choice. 

Well, you don’t have to make a choice alone. Your Mt Airy Dentist can help you decide on the best dental crown depending on your condition. Below are different types of dental crowns that you can consider:

• Ceramic

Ceramic crowns blend easily with our natural teeth color. For that reason, they are usually used when restoring the front teeth as they blend more naturally. Ceramic crowns are made from porcelain-based materials.

• Porcelain-fused to Metal

The one advantage of porcelain-fused to metal crowns is that they can be matched to the color of your teeth. 

This crown offers a much stronger bond than the regular porcelain because of the fact that it is connected to a metal structure. This also makes it extremely durable. 

• Gold Alloys

Gold crowns are one of the best when it comes to dental crowns as it doesn’t break or crack. Because it is a mix of copper, gold, and other metals, it is very durable, doesn’t wear the tooth away and doesn’t fracture. It also provides a strong bond to the tooth. 

• Base Metal Crowns

With metal crowns, the amount of tooth structure that needs to be removed before fitting is small compared to other types of a crown. 

The crown is usually composed of non-noble metals that are strongly resistant to corrosion thus making it a very strong crown. 

Choosing the Right Material

All crown materials have their own pros and cons. That said, the tooth that is being capped will determine the right crown for you as well as how you need them to look aesthetically and the period of time you want them to last.

Ceramic crowns are usually crafted in labs layer by layer. This crafting makes them look like natural teeth by giving them a somewhat translucent appearance that makes them a top choice for the front teeth that’s usually visible.

However, while crowns made from ceramic materials are strong, they are more brittle compared to metal and tend to chip or crack up easily. 

On the other hand, gold crowns and other crowns made up from metals are much more durable. They are also biocompatible with the natural teeth which means that they don’t cause any wear or damage to any teeth they bite against. 

The major drawback for most metal crowns is their color. Because gold or silver crown shows more easily even if it’s cemented on the back tooth, most people find this uncomfortable. 

However, some people don’t mind the color and may even have the tooth studded or engraved with gemstones. 

Porcelain fused to metal have the strength of metal with the added aesthetics of the porcelain crowns. However, they don’t typically look like your natural teeth due to their layering, and there is a possibility of the ceramic coating cracking and chipping even though the metal below stays intact. 

How much does a Dental Crown Cost?

Similar to any dental treatment, the price of a tooth cap will vary greatly depending on the dental crown material used as well as from one clinic to the other or one state to another. 

When you need a dental crown procedure, it’s important to shop around and compare prices between your Mt Airy Dentist and other dentists especially when the dental crown is just not for one tooth bust several. 

Besides the cost of any one tooth cap, it’s important to also consider the advantages and disadvantages of each type of crown. Knowing the pros and cons of each crown type will help you make a wise decision. 

Ensure you also speak to your dentist about the different crown options you have and the ones that may be appropriate for you. 

In general, metal crowns tend to be more affordable than ceramic crowns which are relatively expensive. 

The crowns fitted on the front tooth are also costly than crowns fitted on other teeth as the time that goes into giving them a natural look. 

On average, dental crowns can cost anything from $500 to $2000 depending on your dentist as well as the where you choose to get them done.

Conclusion

When you finally decide to have the crowns fitted, you need to choose a crown that not only fits your lifestyle but your health needs as well. 

Consult your dentist and ensure you discuss the different crown options that are available and have him suggest what is suitable for you and work together with him to get to a decision on which one would best suit your immediate needs.