Your Guide To Dental Crowns
Oral health is incredibly important, but genetics, poor oral hygiene, and a bad diet can cause severe tooth decay and other problems. If you are sick of your less-than-stellar smile, it may be time to consider dental crowns and other forms of restorative and cosmetic dentistry. If you would like to learn more about dental crowns, keep reading.
Why May You Need Dental Crowns?
Dental crowns are typically reserved for weak teeth, and teeth can be weakened for many reasons. Naturally, major decay can eat away much of the tooth, making it brittle and more likely to crack or shatter when you apply pressure during eating or teeth grinding. Even if you replace the decay with a big filling, the tooth is weakened.
Similarly, during root canal treatment, a large filling is inserted, and the tooth's pulp is removed. This essentially "kills" the tooth, but with a dental crown, many treated teeth continue to work and look like regular teeth.
Dental crowns strengthen teeth because they fully cover the crown. Not only does this help prevent decay, but it gives a solid surface for better distribution of pressure. Therefore, the whole tooth absorbs the pressure instead of one weak spot.
What Types of Dental Crowns Exist?
On average, your dentist will recommend metal, all-porcelain, or porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns. Metal crowns are incredibly durable, but many people don't like the aesthetics of silver or gold teeth. They are great on back teeth because of their strength; however, the metal can irritate gums, causing them to recede. You can reduce this risk with good oral hygiene.
All-porcelain crowns are fully made from porcelain, which makes them less durable but highly attractive. Porcelain can mimic the translucent look of teeth, and you can choose the perfect shade to match your other teeth. These crowns are best reserved for front teeth. For back teeth, porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns give that same attractive appearance, but the metal provides more strength.
How Much Do They Cost?
Many factors affect the price of your dental crown, such as the type of metal used, the type of material used, the size of the crown, etc. On average, however, you can expect to pay between $500 to $1,500 for porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns, $600 to $2,500 for metal crowns, and $800 to $3,000 for all-porcelain crowns.
Luckily, in many cases, crowns are needed for medical reasons, such as saving a tooth or strengthening a tooth after a root canal treatment. For this reason, insurance may cover some of the costs.
Dental crowns are a great way to improve the look of your smile, but they also help strengthen weak teeth. If you are sick of problematic teeth, it may be time to consider a dental crown. For more information, contact a dentist in your area today.
For more information, contact a dentist near you.
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