Dental Crowns

A crown is a custom-made cap that fits over the entire visible portion of a tooth, right down to the gumline. It replaces the outer surface of a damaged tooth with a durable, natural-looking restoration that can handle the full demands of chewing and biting. Once it’s placed, the tooth beneath it is protected from further damage, and the crown takes on all the work the natural tooth structure used to handle.

Crowns are made from several different materials, and the right choice depends on where the tooth sits in your mouth and what you need it to do:

We’ll walk you through the options and recommend the option that makes the most sense given the tooth’s location, the pressure it needs to withstand, and your preferences.

• Porcelain and ceramic crowns blend in seamlessly with surrounding teeth and are a popular choice for visible front teeth.
• Zirconia crowns offer exceptional strength alongside a natural appearance, making them suitable for both front and back teeth.
• Porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns offer a strong balance of durability and aesthetics.
• Metal crowns, including gold alloys, are extremely durable and sometimes preferred for back molars, where visibility isn’t a concern.

A crown becomes necessary when a tooth has sustained damage that a filling simply can’t address adequately. The most common situations we see include:

A tooth with deep or widespread decay where too much natural structure has been lost to support a filling reliably. A cracked tooth where the fracture compromises the tooth’s integrity and leaves it vulnerable to splitting further under pressure. A tooth that has broken significantly and needs to be rebuilt before it can function again. A tooth following root canal treatment, which leaves the internal structure hollowed out and prone to fracture without the protection a crown provides.

Crowns are also used to anchor dental bridges, cover dental implants, and address severely worn teeth from grinding or acid exposure over time. In each of these cases, the crown isn’t just cosmetic. It’s structural.

Most crown placements are completed in two appointments.

At the first visit, we thoroughly numb the tooth and surrounding area before reshaping it to accommodate the crown. This involves removing a thin, even layer of enamel from around the tooth so the crown fits properly without feeling bulky or affecting your bite. If the tooth is significantly broken down, we may need to build it up first using a core material that provides the crown with a stable surface to bond to.

Once the tooth is prepared, we take impressions or digital scans that are sent to a dental lab for fabrication. A temporary crown is placed over the prepared tooth to protect it while your permanent restoration is being made, which typically takes 1 to 2 weeks.

At the second appointment, we remove the temporary, check the permanent crown for fit and appearance, and make any minor adjustments before cementing it in place. The whole process is done under local anesthesia, so the preparation is comfortable. Some mild sensitivity in the days afterward is normal and resolves quickly for most patients.

A well-placed crown that’s properly cared for can last fifteen years or more, and many last considerably longer than that. Longevity comes down to the quality of the restoration, the health of the surrounding gum tissue, and how the patient treats it day to day.

Teeth grinding is one of the most common causes of premature crown failure. If you clench or grind at night, a night guard protects the crown and extends its life significantly. Avoiding habits like chewing ice, biting hard candy, or using your teeth to open packaging also helps. And keeping the gumline around the crown clean matters too. The crown itself won’t decay, but the tooth structure at the margin where the crown meets the gum can, so good brushing and flossing habits remain just as important after a crown as before.

Dr. Sheela Thomas handles crown cases with a thorough approach, ensuring the underlying tooth and surrounding gum tissue are in good condition before any restoration is placed. For patients dealing with gum disease or bone loss that needs to be addressed before restorative work, Dr. Loiseau brings periodontal expertise to our care team and is involved when that level of support is needed.

We don’t place crowns unless they’re genuinely warranted. If a tooth can be adequately restored with a filling or another more conservative approach, we’ll tell you that instead.

If you have a tooth that’s cracked, broken, heavily filled, or if you've just finished a root canal, it’s worth having it evaluated sooner rather than later. Call our Quinlan office or schedule online, and we’ll take a thorough look, explain exactly what we find, and give you straightforward guidance on what the tooth needs.