A dental crown is a thin, custom-made cover that snugly encases your existing tooth, adding strength, protecting your natural tooth, and enhancing its appearance.
At National Dental Care Barangaroo, our experienced team of dentists is dedicated to helping you achieve your desired results with dental crowns. If you're considering a dental crown, get in touch with our dentists in Barangaroo today to find out how we can help.
What is a dental crown?
A dental crown is a custom-made covering that fits snugly over your natural tooth. It closely matches your tooth's appearance and texture, making it virtually impossible to tell it’s there.
Dental crowns are a great solution for restoring compromised or damaged teeth, with many benefits for your oral health. In fact, they can be the key to preserving a natural tooth, avoiding the need for extraction.
Typically, dental crowns are made from porcelain, a robust material that can be colour-matched to your natural tooth. Alternatively, you may opt for a gold crown, which provides exceptional strength but lacks the same natural appearance. Gold crowns are typically used for back teeth that aren't visible during smiles but are vital for chewing.
The advantages of a dental crown
A crown is an excellent solution to a number of problems, and offers a variety of advantages.
- Protect a weak or damaged tooth: The key advantage of a dental crown is that it strengthens your tooth, avoiding further damage or issues that could arise due to a weakened tooth.
- Improved appearance: Dental crowns can cover misshapen or discoloured teeth for a brighter, whiter smile.
- Long lasting: With the right care, a dental crown is a long-lasting solution that you can forget about after you get it.
A dental crown may be needed when your natural tooth is weakened, fractured, or otherwise damaged. For example, people who have a root canal procedure often receive a dental crown to reinforce the tooth.
Dental crowns can also be used to improve the appearance of teeth with discolouration or irregular shapes. For example, if standard teeth whitening treatments aren’t effective, a dental crown can help to achieve a brighter smile.
What to expect from your crown appointment
Wondering what’s involved in a dental crown treatment? Here’s a step-by-step overview of the procedure:
- Preparation: Prior to your appointment, it's advisable to have a meal and drink to ensure your comfort.
- Oral Hygiene: Maintain excellent oral hygiene by brushing and flossing your teeth before the procedure.
- Anaesthesia: Your dentist will administer a local anaesthetic to numb the treated area, ensuring your comfort throughout.
- Tooth Preparation: A thin layer of your tooth will be carefully removed, shaping it to accommodate the dental crown.
- Impression: A precise mould of your prepared tooth will be taken to ensure an accurate fit for the crown.
- Temporary Crown: A temporary crown will be attached and adjusted to align with your bite for interim use.
- Discomfort: While the procedure may induce some discomfort, it should not be painful. You can raise your hand any time you need a short break.
- Numbness: Expect the area to remain numb for several hours following the procedure.
- Post-Procedure Tenderness: It's normal for the treated area to feel tender for a day or two after the procedure.
- Final Appointment: During the second appointment, your dentist will remove the temporary crown and evaluate the fit of the permanent crown.
- Permanent Crown Attachment: The permanent dental crown will be affixed using dental cement, and its shape will be refined to fit perfectly with your bite.
Looking to improve the appearance and durability of your teeth? Book a consultation today to learn about the advantages of dental crowns and start your journey towards a healthier smile.
Frequently asked questions
Crowns are usually suitable for teeth that have been heavily restored with previous fillings, or for teeth that have severe decay. The most common reason a crown fails is not the crown itself, but the tooth underneath.
If the crown does fail, you can often have it replaced. There is no set time to replace crowns - and with good oral hygiene and regular check-ups, a crown can typically last for many years.
Proper care - including regular brushing, flossing, and dental check-ups at National Dental Care Barangaroo - can help your dental crown to last as long as possible
Yes. A dental crown can greatly improve the strength, health, and appearance of your natural tooth. It’s a good solution for a number of issues, so be sure to discuss getting a crown with your dentist. They may be able to offer alternative solutions such as dental veneers, or explain why a crown is the best option for your needs.
The cost of a dental crown will vary depending on which tooth or teeth are involved and your private health insurance.
During your initial consultation at National Dental Care Barangaroo, our experienced dental professionals will evaluate your specific needs and provide you with a personalised treatment plan along with an accurate cost estimate.
At National Dental Care Barangaroo we offer a number of services that can help to cover the costs of untimley dental procedures.
Health Funds: We accept all major health fund providers. Plus, our HICAPS facilities allow you to claim your rebate on the spot after your treatment – there’s no waiting around.
We are also a preferred provider for many health funds - so if you’re with one of our preferred provider funds, you can use your dental extras and minimise out-of-pocket expenses. We're here to help you make the most of your dental benefits.
Payment Plans: Our payment plans, SmileFund and Afterpay, provide a flexible, interest-free payment option, ensuring you receive the care you need without worrying about the cost.
SmileFund is our exclusive payment plan that provides interest-free payments for unexpected or unplanned treatments for up to 18-months.
If you use Afterpay, you can split your treatment cost into four equal, interest-free instalments over a few weeks.
While getting a dental crown is a standard and generally safe procedure, it's important to be aware of potential side effects that may occur. These can include:
Temporary Tenderness: After the dental crown procedure, it is common to experience temporary tenderness in the area of the treated tooth. This usually subsides within a day or so and can be managed with over-the-counter pain relief medications in the meantime.
Discomfort Post-Anesthesia: As the effects of anaesthesia wear off, you might experience mild discomfort. If so,it’s best to contact your dentist for an evaluation. Occasionally, adjustments may be needed to ensure a better fit of the crown to your tooth.
Crown Damage: Over time, your dental crown may chip, break, or even detach. While rare, this can be a result of regular wear and tear. Practising good oral care can significantly reduce the risk of these issues. In case of crown damage, your dentist will either repair and reattach the crown or fabricate a new one as needed.
It's essential to maintain good oral hygiene practices and attend regular check-ups with your dentist in Barangaroo to ensure the longevity and well-being of your dental crown.
No, getting a dental crown is not painful, as your dentist will give you a local anaesthetic to numb the area.
It may be uncomfortable to sit in the chair with your mouth open during treatment, but you can put your hand up for a break at any time. Also, our team of caring professionals will help to ensure your comfort throughout the entire process.
Not all teeth that receive a dental crown require a root canal procedure. Root canal treatment is typically necessary when the tooth has extensive decay or infection that has reached the pulp, causing pain or abscess.
During your initial examination at National Dental Care Barangaroo, our experienced dentists will evaluate the condition of your tooth and recommend the best treatment, whether it involves a root canal or not.