A dental crown restores a tooth’s shape, size, and strength by fully replacing the visible portion of your tooth. Once it is permanently bonded in place, it can only be removed or replaced by a dentist.
With proper oral care and hygiene, crowns can last from 5 to 15 years and even more.
Thanks to our modern dental equipment, CEREC® CAD/CAM, our dentists provide final and permanent porcelain restorations (crowns, inlays, onlays, veneers, bridges) in a single visit, while other types of crowns still require two separate appointments.
Dental Crowns are Often Recommended for:
- Restoring and protecting worn, decayed or cracked/broken teeth.
- Protecting and supporting a tooth after a large filling and root canal.
- Cover a dental implant.
- Hold a dental bridge or other prosthetic device.
- Cosmetic improvement for your smile by covering a misshapen or severely discolored tooth.
The Different Types of Dental Crowns
Our dentist, Dr. Yev, will examine your tooth and recommend the best type of crown for your restorative needs. There are various types of crowns with different qualities and advantages:
Full Porcelain
The porcelain crown is a fine, strong, stable, and highly resistant dental crown that gives you a high level of biocompatibility as it does not contain any metals. It also provides the most natural color match to your teeth and a highly recommended crown type for front teeth that are most visible. Dr. Yev is a highly skilled and experienced using the new and advanced technology CEREC® CAD/CAM which is used for same-day porcelain crowns, bridges or veneers.
Full Metal Crowns
Metal crowns offer more strength and endurance. A metal crown may be more suitable for back teeth where the forces of biting and chewing are stronger than front teeth, and less visible when you smile. Metal crowns also require minimal removal of existing tooth structure.
Gold and other metals offer biocompatibility. A base metal crown is the least expensive crown option, but lacks biocompatibility and may cause allergic reactions and discoloration at the gumline.
Porcelain-Fused-to-Metal
Porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns offer the benefits of a natural surface color that resembles your teeth, combined with the strength of metal.
While there are several advantages to selecting this crown, it requires removing more tooth structure than other types of crowns, which also leads to more probability of patient discomfort during the procedure.
Dental Crown Procedure in Denver
After a careful examination of your teeth, gums and supporting bone structure, Dr. Yev will discuss treatment options with you and address all your questions. Before performing the dental crown, he will apply a local anesthetic to eliminate any potential pain during the treatment and make sure you feel comfortable. In most cases the procedure is completely painless.
Porcelain Crowns
- Utilizing CEREC® CAD/CAM: In just one office visit, you will have a final/permanent porcelain crown. Since your crown is designed and created in our office using CEREC®CAD/CAM technology, there’s no need for a temporary crown or a second visit.
Metal or Porcelain-Metal
After your tooth or dental implant has been prepared and shaped for a crown:
- A putty-like material is used to make an impression of your prepared teeth. Your crown will be fabricated for a precise fit based on this impression.
- You will be fitted with a temporary crown to protect your tooth/implant and gums until your permanent crown has been created and prepated for application.
- During the second visit, Dr. Yev will fit your permanent crown and bond it to your tooth.