Dental Crowns – Lansing, MI
Protecting Decayed & Damaged Teeth
Even though your natural pearly whites are meant to last your entire life, this isn’t always the case for many people. Over the years, your teeth can become worn down, decayed, or even lost due to a variety of reasons. Still, this doesn’t mean you have to settle for the situation you land in. At Healthy Smiles Dental Care of Lansing, our team can effectively repair damaged or decayed teeth with protective dental crowns. These restorations are durable, high-quality, and personalized to blend right in with your unique smile! Keep reading to learn more about dental crowns or call us today to schedule your consultation.
Why Choose Healthy Smiles Dental Care of Lansing for Dental Crowns?
- Offers Same-Day Restorations
- Incredibly Lifelike & Personalized Results
- Accepts Insurance & Offers Financing Options
What is a Dental Crown?
These restorations are custom-designed dental caps that are meant to cover the top side of a tooth. To make room for one, our team will need to alter your tooth enamel so that the crown can fit flush. For this reason, the treatment is usually reserved for patients who have no other viable solution for improving the health, function, and appearance of their teeth. In many cases, a dental crown will be recommended to those who have:
- Decayed or damaged teeth
- A weakened tooth
- Dark stains or tooth discoloration
- Undergone treatments like a root canal, dental bridge, or dental implant
The Dental Crown Process
The process for getting a dental crown traditionally involves multiple steps over a few appointments. Firstly, you’ll undergo an initial consultation to discuss your situation and determine if a protective cap is best for your smile. If so, our team can begin your treatment by removing a small amount of your enamel to make room for the crown. We’ll then take impressions of your smile and send them to a dental lab for fabrication. Our team will provide you with a temporary crown so your altered tooth remains safe and healthy.
After your permanent dental crown is finished, you’ll return to our office to have the provisional one replaced. Your dentist will verify that your bite is correct, your teeth are polished, and that you’re satisfied with the results. We’ll also provide instructions on how to care for your crown before you leave, that way you can make the most of them.
Our practice also offers same-day crowns for optimal convenience. This means you’ll be able to completely repair your decayed/damaged tooth in just a couple of hours instead of over several appointments. Best of all, your results will be just as effective!
The Benefits of Getting a Dental Crown
With dental crown treatment, you’ll receive a restoration constructed out of porcelain material, which can allow you to:
- Renew the look, health, and function of a tooth
- Preserve a weakened or compromised tooth
- Create natural-looking results
- Enjoy results that can last over a decade with proper care
Understanding the Cost of Dental Crowns
If you have a tooth that is damaged, a dental crown can help to restore its appearance and protect it from further harm. However, you may have some concerns regarding the cost. We can discuss the exact cost of your treatment when you visit us. In the meantime, here are some things that you should be taking into consideration.
Factors that Affect the Cost of Dental Crowns
There are a few different factors that can contribute to the cost of dental crowns. Here are the most prominent ones that we consider:
- Severity of Damage: In some cases, other treatments are also required to restore the health of your tooth. For instance, if your tooth is infected, you may need a root canal in addition to a crown.
- Materials Used: Dental crowns can be made from a variety of different materials, and they all have different costs. At Healthy Smiles Dental Care of Lansing, we use porcelain to make dental crowns.
- Method Used: One-visit dental restorations often have different costs than traditional methods.
Remember that cheaper is not always better. Quality is very important when it comes to the restorations in your mouth. You want your new crown to look and feel great! By investing in a quality restoration, it can last for many years down the road.
Does Dental Insurance Cover Dental Crowns?
Dental crowns are considered to be a major procedure, so dental insurance often covers around half of the treatment cost when medically necessary. At Healthy Smiles Dental Care of Lansing, we are in-network with a number of companies and can handle claims from providers who are out-of-network. If you have any questions or concerns regarding your plan, don’t hesitate to contact us.
Other Options for Making Dental Crowns Affordable
If you don’t have dental insurance, this doesn’t mean that you should be stressing about your finances. With our Dental Saving Plan, you can save on services completed at our practice. We also offer dental financing to split the cost of your treatment into manageable monthly installments to fit better into your budget. To learn more about your financial options, talk to one of our friendly team members.
To find out exactly how much you can expect your dental crown to cost, schedule a consultation with us. We are eager to help restore your smile!
Dental Crown FAQs
How Long Do Dental Crowns Last?
The expected lifespan of your restoration has a lot to do with how well you take care of them. However, if you maintain a basic level of dental hygiene, you can expect your dental crown to last anywhere from 5 to 15 years.
To keep your restoration around for as long as possible, be sure to adhere to regular dental hygiene and see us often for preventive care.
What Happens If You Wait Too Long to Get a Dental Crown?
We pride ourselves on offering conservative treatment to our patients, which means that we only recommend procedures that are absolutely necessary. If we’ve let you know that you need a dental crown, it’s because you’re likely dealing with an oral health problem that could get worse if left untreated.
In some circumstances, a cavity that could previously be dealt with via a simple dental crown could need a root canal, or even a full-on extraction. For that reason, it’s important that you get a dental crown as soon as possible if you need one.
Can Dental Crowns Be Whitened?
Teeth whitening works on the teeth because of the porous nature of your enamel. This allows the whitening gel to penetrate into the teeth, removing stains.
The materials that dental crowns are made from aren’t porous to the extent that your natural teeth are, which makes whitening treatment ineffective. If you ever want to brighten your crowns, you’ll need to replace them.
Is It a Dental Emergency If Your Crown Falls Off?
A dental crown falling off isn’t necessarily an urgent dental emergency, but it’s still worth dealing with the issue as quickly as possible. You should give us a call as soon as you lose your restoration, and we’ll try and get you in for an appointment as quickly as possible.
When you lose your dental crown, you should also try and retrieve it. Depending on its condition, we may be able to simply place your restoration back on your tooth.