TL;DR
A crown is a custom cap that covers the whole visible part of a damaged tooth and restores its shape and strength. Dr. Carleigh Prane recommends one when a tooth is cracked, worn down, badly decayed, holding a very large filling or finishing root canal treatment. It usually takes two visits: one to shape the tooth and fit a temporary, one to bond the finished crown. Three of the six cases in our smile gallery are porcelain crowns, from a single front tooth to eight across the upper arch. We check your insurance benefits before work begins.
When does a tooth need a crown?
A tooth needs a crown when too little sound structure is left for a filling to hold it together. A filling depends on strong walls of natural tooth around it, and once those walls are thin or cracked, a bigger filling only wedges them apart.
The crown solves that by wrapping the whole tooth above the gum, so biting forces press the tooth together instead of splitting it. We most often suggest one for:
Not every damaged tooth needs that much coverage. When the outer walls are still healthy, a porcelain onlay repairs the weak part and leaves the rest of the tooth alone, and we’ll tell you when that’s the better route.
- A tooth that has cracked or lost a cusp
- A filling so large that little natural tooth remains around it
- A back tooth that has had root canal treatment
- Teeth worn short or chipped by grinding
- A front tooth with an old restoration that no longer matches
- A dental implant, which needs a crown on top
What happens at a crown appointment?
A crown usually takes two appointments, with a dental laboratory’s working time in between. At the first, we numb the tooth, clear away decay and any failing filling, and shape what remains so the crown has room to sit over it. Then we take an impression, choose the shade with you, and cover the tooth with a temporary crown.
The temporary protects the tooth while you wait. Its cement is deliberately soft so it lifts off easily later. Keep sticky candy to the other side, and call us if it loosens.
At the second visit we try in the finished crown before anything is cemented in place. We look at how its edge meets the tooth at the gumline, how it touches the teeth on either side, and how it meets the opposite teeth when you close and slide your jaw. A crown that sits even slightly high is noticed with every bite, so we adjust until it feels like part of your mouth.
Why does the bite matter so much for a crown?
The bite decides how long a crown survives, because a crown that takes the wrong forces will chip, loosen or crack the tooth beneath it. Dr. Carleigh Prane completed the Dawson Academy’s core curriculum and hands-on series, training built around how the teeth, jaw muscles and jaw joints work together. It shapes how she plans every crown.
Before private practice she trained in the U.S. Navy’s Advanced Education in General Dentistry residency in Pensacola, after graduating with honors from Southern Illinois University’s dental school. There’s more on her path on Dr. Prane’s page.
One patient summed up his experience in a Google review: “Dr Carleigh Prane is amazing, she has done two crowns on me both have been a flawless experience, she is gentle, precise, and very good.” (Michael S., Google review)
What do porcelain crowns look like in real cases?
Three of the six before-and-after cases in our smile gallery are crowns, and they cover a wide range. The smallest is a single front tooth with a poor old restoration, replaced by an all-porcelain crown with no metal inside, contoured to follow the gumline.
The largest rebuilt a whole upper arch. Those front teeth were stained, worn and chipped, with receded gums, and eight all-porcelain crowns restored them. In the third case, six upper front teeth had uneven edges, an uneven gumline and mismatched shades, and six anterior crowns gave them one consistent line and color. Results vary from mouth to mouth.
How long does a crown last, and how do you care for it?
A well-made crown commonly lasts many years, and the mouth around it matters more than the crown itself. Porcelain can’t decay, but the tooth underneath can, right at the margin where crown and tooth meet. That margin is where floss needs to go every day.
Grinding is the other common threat. If you clench at night, ask us about a night guard to protect the crown and the teeth around it. At your regular visits we check each crown’s edges, the gum around it and any wear, so a small problem gets caught while it’s still small.
What does a crown cost at Stone Falls Dental Care?
The fee depends on the tooth and your insurance, so it comes after an exam. Many dental plans pay part of a crown that’s needed for a broken or decayed tooth. We accept most plans, United Concordia, TriCare, Delta and BCBS among them, and we’ll check your benefits at no charge before treatment.
The practice has run two offers that apply to crowns: $300 off major treatment for new patients after the exam and diagnosis, and $500 off six or more porcelain crowns or veneers on the front teeth. Ask our treatment coordinators which are current. Immediate family of active and retired military receive a discount on every procedure, seniors have a discount of their own, and CareCredit offers 0% promotional rates on approved credit.