Dental Crowns

Dental Crowns in Kitchener, ON

At Enamel Republic, our Kitchener Dentist makes strong, durable and aesthetic looking dental crowns. Most adult patients are somewhat familiar with dental crowns or "caps" through past treatment recommendations.

If you’d like to learn more about dental crowns, feel free to explore our sections below!

Dental Crown Definition

A dental crown or “cap” is a non-removable shell that covers the entire outer surface of a weakened tooth. Dental Crowns can be made of tooth-coloured porcelain or gold and are utilized to reinforce teeth or to improve their appearance. 

When would I need a Dental Crown?

Patients have crowns placed to strengthen teeth that have been weakened by:

• Cracks or fractures
• Large fillings
• Large or deep cavities
• Previous root canal therapy

A crown prevents future damage and limits the extension of cracks through your tooth.  Crowns are also essential after root canal treatment because root canals make teeth more brittle and fracture-prone. To prevent a catastrophic and unrepairable fracture, you're best off crowning your root canal treated tooth.

A dental crown may also be placed to improve the appearance of teeth that are:

• Misshapen or mispositioned
• Stained
• Discoloured following root canal treatment

Dental crowns provide a smooth, tooth-coloured surface to correct any colour and shape defects that are present.  They can be designed to match the exact colour of neighboring teeth. Your crown will be made to have a shape that fits your smile perfectly.

Book a consult to discuss Dental Crowns with Dr. Kyle Hornby now. Call at (519)-576-8160 Or Schedule Your Appointment Online.

Dental Crown Types: Which Dental Crown is best?

Dental crowns can be made from a variety of materials. These materials vary in strength, esthetic appeal, and the degree to which they wear down enamel on opposing teeth. It's important to evaluate strengths and weaknesses of a given material in the context of the tooth you are crowning.

Specifically, you'll want the most esthetic material possible for a crown on your upper front tooth/teeth. For an upper molar that nobody will ever see, you might prioritize strength and durability over esthetics.

So, what crown is best?

Below, you'll find the playbook on what material to consider in different situations!

If you are pursuing a Dental Crown in Kitchener you have a number of options:

• Gold/Metal: Gold or metal alloy crowns are durable and kind to opposing teeth. Gold and metal crowns do not fracture or break and they enjoy wonderful longevity. These crowns require that less of your tooth is shaved or prepared to accommodate fit. Their lone drawback is that they are not tooth-coloured and provide poor esthetics. Consider a gold or metal alloy crown on non-visible upper molar teeth.
• Porcelain-fused-to-Metal (PFM): PFM crowns have an outer porcelain layer for high esthetic appeal and an inner metal alloy layer for strength. Unlike gold or metal alloy crowns, the porcelain on a PFM crown can chip and fracture, although this happens rarely. These crowns require more tooth shaving or reduction compared to metal crowns. They are also abrasive against opposing tooth enamel and can cause accelerated tooth wear, especially in patients who grind their teeth. PFM crowns provide a nice balance between durability and esthetics. Consider a PFM crown on molar and premolar teeth that are minimally visible during smiling.
• Full Porcelain (E-Max & Empress): E-Max crowns are made of lithium disilicate and Empress crowns are made of ceramic glass. Both types of crowns are highly esthetic. E-Max is more durable compared to Empress, but both are weaker than Gold, PFM and Zirconia crowns. Both materials offer reasonable longevity but are more prone to fracture. Additionally, both types of crown are abrasive to opposing tooth enamel. Consider E-max crowns on premolars and canines in esthetic zones and Empress crowns on upper front teeth.
• Zirconia: These crowns are made entirely of Zirconium. They are extremely strong and durable with good longevity. They cause less wear of opposing enamel compared to full porcelain and PFM crowns. Zirconia crowns are tooth-coloured (but not very translucent) so they are a reasonable esthetic choice for molar and premolar teeth.

What is involved in having my crown made?

Dental Crown Procedure

Pursuing a Dental Crown in Kitchener? Here’s what to expect from the process: First, your tooth is prepared by removing any decayed or weakened portions. During this preparation, your tooth is shaped so that the crown can fit properly. We then take a highly accurate impression to capture the shape of the prepared tooth. Next, we place a temporary crown on your tooth to protect it until your second appointment. At your second appointment, the temporary crown is removed, and the permanent crown is seated for a “try-in”. The try-in allows me to ensure that:

• Your bite is comfortable       
• Your new crown is sealed properly to your tooth
• You approve of both the shape and colour or “shade” of the crown

Once we are satisfied with the crown and you approve the colour and shape, we can bond the crown to the tooth. You will be reminded to avoid heavy chewing on the new crown for 72 hours. You will also be advised to avoid flossing around the crown for 72 hours. 

Following the post-delivery instructions will allow the cement to set and harden completely for full durability. Eating hard foods on your new crown or flossing within the first 3 days can lead to cracking and weakening of the cement before it hardens completely.

Frequently Asked Questions

Dental Crowns in Kitchener: Is a Dental Crown covered by insurance?

Some insurance plans cover dental crown expenses while others do not. Most plans that cover Dental Crowns do so at a 50% reimbursement rate. Ask your Kitchener Dentist to send an pre-determination for treatment costs to your dental insurance provider.

Dental Crowns in Kitchener: How much does a Dental Crown cost?

Dental crown cost is determined by two separate fees. Your Kitchener Dentist’s fee, which is set by the Ontario Dental Association (ODA) Fee Guide plus a Labour and Materials fee set by the Dental Lab that makes your crown. Your Kitchener Dentist has a set treatment fee. In contrast, the Dental Lab fee depends on the size of a crown and the amount of material they use to make it.

Generally, a Dental Crown costs around $1,000 – $1,200.

Dental Crowns in Kitchener: Who makes Dental Crowns?

Who provides Dental Crowns in Kitchener? Your Family Dentist can make a dental crown for you. This is a routine procedure, and Family Dentists receive extensive training on tooth preparation and impression taking necessary for the fabrication of a custom crown.

If you have broken or cracked a tooth or are experiencing sharp biting pain, you may benefit from the placement of a dental crown.  Please contact us to book a free consult appointment with Kitchener Dentist, Dr. Kyle Hornby.

Dental Crowns in Kitchener: Are Dental Crowns safe?

Dental crowns are safe and crowning a tooth does not pose any risk to you. Occasionally, some patients are allergic to particular metals. Some crowns (such as porcelain-fused-metal or “PFM” crowns) contain alloys. The most common metal allergy is to Nickel and some PFM alloys contain Nickel. The best practice is to notify your Kitchener Dentist about any allergies you have before proceeding with any treatment. This way, they can carefully select the materials that will be used in the fabrication of your new dental crown!

Dental Crowns in Kitchener: Can you whiten Dental Crowns?

Unfortunately, you cannot whiten dental crowns. For best aesthetics, whiten your teeth before your Kitchener Dentist places your Crowns. This way, they can shade match the crowns to the whitest version of your natural teeth!

A second, less precise option is to have your Dentist make a crown that's a shade lighter than you current shade of your teeth. That way, when you whiten, your Crown will still be pretty close to your natural tooth enamel in colour and brightness.

Can you refit a dental crown? What happens if a dental crown comes loose?

Generally speaking, you cannot refit or re-shape a dental crown. If you develop a cavity around the edge of your crown, your Kitchener Dentist may be able to repair it without removing or changing your crown. In some cases, where your Dentist cannot gain proper access to restore the cavity, you may need a new crown.

If your crown becomes loose, make an appointment with your Family Dentist immediately. In most cases, your Dentist can re-cement or re-bond your crown to the retaining tooth.

Do dental crowns ever need to be replaced?

Yes, sometimes dental crowns need to be replaced. The most common reason for replacement would be a cavity that develops in a hard to reach area below your crown. Cavities can't develop on artificial porcelain, metal and Zirconia surfaces but they can develop around and under the gums on supporting tooth enamel and dentin.

In some cases, your Dentist will be able to easily access, clean and repair the cavity without having to remove your crown. Generally, when the cavity is in between teeth, the Dentist will need to remove your crown, repair the cavity and then make a new crown.

If they re-bond or re-cement your old crown, it is unlikely to fit properly.

Will dental insurance cover a replacement crown?

In most case, the answer is "yes". Insurance plan providers vary with regard to how often they'll cover a replacement crown. Generally, the 2 most common replacement thresholds are 5- and 10-years.

That is, many insurance plan providers will cover a replacement crown if necessary after 5 years. Others will provide coverage for a replacement after 10 years.

The easiest way to learn about your dental coverage for a new crown is to have your Kitchener Dentist send a pre-determination for costs to your insurance plan provider.

What are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Same-Day (CEREC) Dental Crowns?

Same-day dental crowns are becoming more and more popular as we value convenience to a greater and greater extent. Same-day dental crowns save you an extra appointment as all preparatory work and crown delivery can occur in the same appointment.

There are, however, at least 2 limitations or disadvantages associated with same-day dental crowns. They are:

1. Restricted choice of materials. A same-day dental crown is made in a CEREC machine or milling chamber right there at your Dentist's office. These units can make pure porcelain crowns. They can also make zirconia crowns. Both are great materials. However, porcelain-fused-metal crowns (PFM) crowns are still considered the gold standard for reinforcing back teeth like molars and premolars. PFM combines the strength of a metal alloy with the beauty and cosmetics of tooth-coloured porcelain. CEREC machines can't make a hybrid, PFM crown. Other materials are more likely to fracture or split compared to PFM dental crowns.
2. Esthetics. If you're paying $1,000 - $1,500 for a dental crown, it should look like a tooth right? Well, commercial dental labs employ full-time specialists for shading dental crowns. These experts can capture the variations in enamel colour in natural teeth to produce beautiful, natural looking dental crowns. With a CEREC-made crown, you're getting something that looks less lifelike.

So, if you're considering a same-day dental crown in Kitchener, it's important to weigh the pros and cons.

Ask your Kitchener Dentist about the advantages and disadvantages associated with the CEREC approach to Dental Crowns.