Dental Crowns in Columbia, SC

Every now and then, our teeth may need more than just routine brushing and flossing to keep them in peak condition. If that’s the case with you and your smile, don’t worry; our team can help! We offer a number of different tooth restoration dental treatments, including dental crowns (also known as tooth caps). Getting replacement tooth crowns could be just the solution you need to get back to a healthy smile.

Uses for Dental Crowns

Dental crowns are used to restore a tooth’s strength and structure as well as to enhance its appearance. There are some of the most common situations that call for a dental crown:

To strengthen a tooth weakened from decay
To fix a cracked or broken tooth
To support a tooth that has a large filling
To protect a tooth after a root canal
To keep a dental bridge in place
To finish a dental implant
To improve a severely discolored tooth
To correct a misshaped tooth

Getting a Dental Crown

Dr. Bethea has recommended you get a dental crown—now what? The tooth crown procedure generally takes place over two visits. The first is where we examine and prepare your tooth that’s in need of a crown. This involves removing a small amount of the tooth material (to ensure the crown fits naturally and securely). Once the tooth has been reshaped, we’ll take impressions, which will then be sent to our partner dental lab so they can design a custom, properly fitting crown. Before you leave our office, we will fit you with a temporary crown to keep the prepared tooth protected.

As soon as the lab is finished creating your crown and we have it in our office, we’ll bring you back for the final phase of the treatment. We will remove the temporary crown, numb the treatment area, place the permanent crown, and check for fit. We want to ensure that your bite (the way your upper and lower teeth fit together) isn’t affected and that it still feels natural when chewing.

Dental Crowns FAQ

How can I take care of my temporary crown?

Temporary dental crowns are not made to be durable and long-lasting like permanent dental crowns, so we recommend that you avoid chewing anything really chewy or sticky for the time being or just use the other side of your mouth to chew. Once the permanent crown is placed, you should do the same thing for a few days while the crown settles and permanently adheres to the tooth just to be safe, after which you are free to resume your normal eating habits, as there are no food restrictions that come with permanent dental crowns.

Do dental crowns look natural?

Permanent dental crowns are custom designed for each individual patient, which means they can be made to blend in seamlessly with the surrounding teeth. An impression of the tooth that is receiving the crown is taken to design the crown so that it will fit over the tooth perfectly. The color of a crown cannot be changed once it’s placed, so when patients want to have their teeth whitened, we always recommend doing that before getting a crown, and then we’ll match it to your newly whitened smile!

How long do dental crowns last?

Dental crowns can last anywhere from 10 to 15 years when they are treated well. The best way to increase the lifespan of your crown is by practicing good oral hygiene at home and visiting our office for routine appointments. You should also avoid using your crown and natural teeth to open tough packages or chew on things like ice, hard candy, or popcorn kernels. We’ll let you know when it’s about time to replace your crown, and our team will be happy to take care of creating a new custom crown for you!

Affordable Dental Crowns

Fitting restorative dentistry (like crowns, bridges, root canal therapy, and more) into your budget may at first seem daunting, but we’ve got your back. Our office provides ways to ensure affordable tooth caps are in your smile’s future. Dental crown cost all depends on your unique smile, the circumstances surrounding your need for dental crowns, dentist’s recommendations for material, and more.

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