Restore Your Smile with Natural-Looking Dental Crowns
When damage to a tooth is severe—whether from decay, cracks, or aesthetic concerns—dental crowns offer an easy solution that blends beautifully with your natural teeth. Our Farmington, CT, dental office provides custom-made dental crowns that are virtually undetectable, providing a natural look and a lasting, functional bite.
Using advanced materials, we ensure your crown restores your smile’s strength, durability, and appearance, even in cases where severe damage repairs seem out of reach. Discover how a crown can rejuvenate your smile by calling us at (860) 470-3660 to book your consultation.
What Are Dental Crowns?
Dental crowns, also known as caps or tooth crowns, are custom prosthetic restorations that fit over damaged or weakened teeth. These crowns are typically crafted from materials like porcelain, ceramic, zirconia, or porcelain-fused-to-metal, and they’re designed to match the color and contours of your natural teeth. Crowns can also top dental implants to replace missing teeth, support dental bridges, or cover large fillings, offering a stable, aesthetically pleasing outcome.
In Farmington, our patients benefit from crowns that don’t just look natural—they perform as naturally as your original teeth, even for those with severe wear, large fractures, or existing root canal treatments.
When Is a Dental Crown Necessary?
There are multiple dental issues that a crown can fix. Our Farmington dentist may recommend a dental crown for various reasons, including:
- Strengthen Weakened Teeth: Ideal for teeth with significant tooth decay, large fillings, or following root canal therapy, crowns offer the critical protection these teeth need to prevent further damage.
- Restore Severely Damaged Teeth: Crowns rebuild and protect teeth that are cracked, broken, or significantly worn down from bruxism or injury.
- Complete a Dental Implant: Crowns are a natural-looking option to restore missing teeth with implants.
- Anchor Dental Bridges: Crowns support bridges, allowing them to securely fill gaps from missing teeth.
- Enhance Cosmetic Appearance: Crowns improve the look of discolored, misshapen, or irregularly spaced teeth, elevating the overall aesthetics of your smile.
Signs You Need Dental Crowns
Some signs that you may need a dental crown include:
- Tooth pain or sensitivity from extensive decay or cracks
- Chipped or fractured teeth
- Old, large fillings that no longer support the tooth
- A root canal treatment that has left the tooth vulnerable
- Cosmetic issues like discoloration or irregular shapes
Key Benefits of Dental Crowns
Our crowns offer a blend of functionality and aesthetics that meets the needs of modern dental care. Some of the benefits of dental crowns include:
- Natural Appearance: With high-grade porcelain or ceramic, crowns are customized to match your natural teeth in color, shape, and size.
- Long-Lasting Results: With proper care, today’s advanced crown materials provide durable protection, often lasting 15 years or longer, making them a nearly permanent solution.
- Relief for Painful, Compromised Teeth: Crowns can resolve pain caused by fractures or hairline cracks, allowing you to regain full dental function comfortably.
If you’re wondering how dental crowns may benefit you, contact our Farmington dentist today to schedule your next appointment!
Types of Dental Crowns
Porcelain Crowns
Porcelain crowns are made of a tooth-colored material that can be matched to the shade of your natural teeth, making them a popular choice for front teeth. They’re biocompatible and produce a natural, lifelike appearance. We provide this option at our Farmington practice.
Metal Crowns
Metal crowns are made of gold, nickel, or other metal alloys. They’re extremely durable, can withstand heavy biting forces, and last a long time. However, their metallic color makes them less popular for front teeth.
Porcelain-fused-to-Metal Crowns (PFM)
PFM crowns are made by fusing a metal base with a porcelain coating, providing the strength of the metal and the aesthetics of the porcelain. They can be used for both front and back teeth. We provide porcelain-fused-to-gold crowns at our Farmington dental practice.
Zirconia Crowns
Zirconia crowns are made of a durable, biocompatible material that is resistant to chipping and cracking. They can be matched to the color of your natural teeth and are an ideal option for back teeth.
Same-Day Crowns
Same-day crowns, also known as CEREC crowns, are a type of dental crown that can be fabricated and placed in a single dental visit. This is in contrast to traditional dental crowns, which typically require multiple appointments and temporary crowns while waiting for the permanent crown to be fabricated in a dental lab.
The Dental Crown Procedure at Pinnacle Dental
Consultation and Planning
Our dentist will first examine your tooth during your initial consultation to ensure a crown is the best solution. X-rays may be taken to assess the tooth’s roots and surrounding bone.
First Visit: Tooth Preparation
After numbing the area, the dentist will prepare the tooth by removing any decay and shaping it to fit the crown. An impression of your prepared tooth is then taken, either with a traditional mold or a digital scanner, to ensure a precise fit. A temporary crown is placed while your permanent crown is crafted in the lab.
Second Visit: Permanent Crown Placement
Once the crown is ready, you’ll return to our dentist’s office, where Dr. Kuzmin will remove the temporary crown, place the permanent crown, and check for fit and color match. After any necessary adjustments, the new crown is permanently cemented in place.
Aftercare and Follow-up
Proper aftercare is essential for longevity. Practice good oral hygiene, avoid chewing hard objects with the crowned tooth, and attend regular dental check-ups. It’s common to experience some sensitivity after placement, but this usually subsides quickly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Dental crowns typically last 10 to 15 years or longer with proper oral hygiene and regular dental care. Factors such as material choice and placement can impact longevity, with porcelain and zirconia crowns often offering extended durability.
Getting a dental crown should not be painful. The crown placement procedure involves local anesthesia, making it comfortable and virtually pain-free. Mild sensitivity may occur afterward, but this usually subsides quickly.
Generally, it takes two dental visits to complete the dental crown placement process. The time it takes to place a dental crown on a tooth can vary depending on the specific case and the dentist’s technique. Your dentist will provide a treatment timeline at your initial consultation.
Yes, it’s possible to get a dental crown placed in one day using a technology called CEREC (Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramics). This technology allows the dentist to create and place a custom crown in a single dental visit.
The dentist will take digital impressions of the tooth, design the crown using computer-aided design (CAD) software, and then use an in-office milling machine to fabricate the final crown.
Discover if Dental Crowns Are Right for You
Dental crowns are a reliable, long-lasting solution for restoring damaged or decayed teeth, enhancing your smile and dental health. Call our Farmington office at (860) 470-3660 today to schedule a consultation.
We proudly serve Farmington, Plainville, New Britain, Hartford, Newington, and the surrounding areas in Connecticut. Let our experienced team help you achieve a healthier, more beautiful smile with dental crowns.