At Denton Family Smiles, Sleep & TMJ, we understand that a damaged or deeply decayed tooth can cause significant discomfort and disrupt your daily life.
Serving the Denton, TX community, our practice is highly patient-oriented and built on a foundation of honest dentistry. Our ultimate goal is always to preserve your natural teeth as much as possible. When a tooth is severely compromised, a custom dental crown is one of the most effective ways to restore its strength, function, and natural beauty.
What Is A Dental Crown?
A dental crown is a custom-made, tooth-shaped “cap” that is securely bonded over the entire visible portion of your tooth. Think of it as a protective helmet. When a tooth is weakened by extensive decay or trauma, a simple filling is often not enough to hold the tooth together. A crown structurally reinforces the tooth from the outside in, protecting the vulnerable core while beautifully mimicking the appearance of your natural enamel.
When A Crown Is Needed
Because we prioritize transparent communication, we will always show you exactly why a treatment is recommended using our high-resolution digital imaging. We often recommend a dental crown to:
- Protect a weak, cracked, or fractured tooth from breaking apart entirely.
- Restore a tooth that has already suffered significant wear or physical trauma.
- Cover and support a tooth that has a very large filling with little natural structure remaining.
- Seal and protect a tooth following an emergency root canal (a procedure our doctor has prolonged clinical experience performing).
- Top off a dental implant to replace a single missing tooth.
Types Of Dental Crowns
We believe in using the highest quality materials to ensure your restoration is both durable and stunningly natural. We offer several types of crowns, but our most popular and highly recommended option is the custom ceramic (porcelain) crown. These metal-free restorations flawlessly reflect light just like natural enamel and completely eliminate the dark line often seen at the gum base of older, metal-fused crowns.
The Crown Process
Traditionally, getting a crown required multiple appointments, messy impressions, and wearing a fragile temporary crown for weeks. Thanks to our investment in advanced technology, we do things differently.
We are incredibly proud to offer same-day crowns.
- Our doctor will gently prepare your tooth, ensuring you are completely numb and comfortable.
- We use an advanced 3D intraoral scanner to take a highly precise digital impression—completely bypassing the gag-inducing putty.
- We design your custom crown right here in our office and mill it from a solid block of premium ceramic while you relax.
- Within the same visit, we polish the crown, securely bond it to your tooth, and make sure your bite is perfectly balanced.
Benefits Of Crowns
Choosing a custom crown at our Denton office provides life-enhancing benefits:
- Immediate pain relief: Seals the damaged nerve and eliminates painful sensitivity to hot or cold temperatures.
- Preserves your natural root: By saving the structure above the gumline, we prevent the need for a complex extraction.
- Unmatched durability: Withstands the heavy, daily forces of chewing, allowing you to enjoy your favorite foods confidently.
- Flawless aesthetics: Custom-shaded to blend invisibly with your surrounding teeth.
Caring For Your Crown
Your new crown requires no special maintenance beyond excellent daily hygiene. Brush twice a day with a soft-bristled toothbrush, floss daily, and maintain your routine hygiene appointments.
However, if you suffer from TMJ issues or unconscious nighttime teeth grinding, that heavy pressure can potentially chip even the strongest ceramic. Because we evaluate every patient comprehensively, our doctor may recommend a custom-fitted nightguard to protect your beautiful new crown and your remaining natural teeth while you sleep.
How Long Crowns Last
With excellent care, a high-quality dental crown can easily last for 10 to 15 years, and often much longer. We will closely monitor the margins of your crown during your routine biannual check-ups to ensure the seal remains strong and the underlying tooth remains healthy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely. We custom-shade the ceramic to match the exact color and translucency of your adjacent teeth. Once placed, it is virtually impossible to distinguish your crown from your natural smile.
Not at all. We are dedicated to gentle care and painless procedures. We will ensure the tooth is fully numb before we begin. If you feel anxious, we proudly offer safe nitrous oxide (laughing gas) to help you deeply relax.
We believe that essential restorative care should be accessible. We work very hard to provide highly flexible financial options that work with every budget, and we will clearly explain all costs before beginning any treatment.
Let us earn your trust. If you have a damaged, painful, or cracked tooth, contact Denton Family Smiles, Sleep & TMJ today to schedule your same-day crown consultation!