DENTAL CROWNS

Your Dental Crown Experts in Fairfax, Virginia

Straight, attractive teeth and a perfect smile gives you a confidence boost that will help you accomplish more in your everyday life. Cosmetic dentistry is designed to enhance the look of your teeth, giving you an attractive smile that provides the confidence to let your personality shine. Dental crowns are just one cosmetic option that you can choose to enhance the beauty of your smile while still maintaining the integrity of your natural tooth.

dental crowns

What Are Dental Crowns?

A dental crown is a fixed prosthetic restoration that fits securely on the cap of your tooth. A crown is cemented to the remainder of the natural tooth and will function and look just like your other teeth. There are many reasons why patients may need dental crowns, including:

  • To replace a large filling

  • Decay under a large filling

  • Restore a cracked tooth

  • Attach a bridge

  • Cover a tooth that has had root canal treatment

  • Cover a dental implant

A dental crown restores the tooth to its normal size, shape and function. Crowns are most commonly made from porcelain material to match the color and texture of your natural teeth, and easily blend in.

Benefits of Dental Crowns

Fair Lakes Family and Cosmetic Dentistry has years of experience creating natural-looking and functioning dental crown restorations. There are many benefits to having a crown restoration including:

  • Restore a tooth after root canal treatment

  • Support a tooth that has been damaged by decay or wear and tear

  • Eliminate cracks in teeth that can lead to more decay and weakness

  • Improve the appearance of teeth

Beautiful teeth with dental crowns

Types Of Dental Crowns

Just as crowns can be made of different materials, crowns also come in different shapes and sizes. A traditional crown covers the entire tooth. There are also ¾ size crowns and onlays that cover less of your tooth underneath. If much of your tooth structure remains, your dentist may recommend an onlay or ¾ size crown. Our team at Fair Lakes Family and Cosmetic Dentistry believes that every patient is different and deserves custom, personalized treatment. We will work with you to determine the best-fit crown for your teeth.

What To Expect

Dental crowns can be completed in as few as two office visits. The first visit will be performing the necessary steps to prepare the tooth for the final crown. The crown procedure generally consists of the following steps:

Preparing the tooth

The dentist will remove the outer portion and surface of your tooth to make a supportive structure for the prosthetic crown. This may include removing any decay present and possibly rebuilding the foundation of the tooth base.

An impression of the teeth surrounding the restoration is required to ensure the crown will fit perfectly into the normal bite and the patient achieves maximum comfort with this restoration.

A temporary crown is placed over the cap of the tooth and the impression is sent to the lab to be made.

During the final office visit, your permanent crown will be polished and adjusted as needed. Then your dentist will cement the crown to the cap of your tooth. You may experience some sensitivity, especially to cold and heat, after your procedure. If you feel ongoing discomfort, contact your dentist. A crown functions just as your regular teeth and does not require any special care. With proper care such as brushing your teeth twice a day, flossing and avoiding chewing ice and hard objects and regular visits to your dentists, your dental crown should be quite durable and long-lasting.