Dental Crowns in Missoula, MT
Football is a high-contact sport, meaning that players are not only allowed to make contact, but it’s a necessary part of the game. Offensive and defensive linemen, in particular, frequently bash into each other to block players of the opposing team. To mitigate the danger of a head-on collision, they wear football helmets! This hard layer of protection helps soften blows, protecting the head and the brain underneath it.
Similar to football players, your top and bottom teeth collide every time you chew to break down the food you’re eating. While this is their function, it can be painful to chew if your tooth is damaged or decaying. Fortunately, dental crowns fit over your teeth like a football helmet, both fortifying their structure and protecting them from further damage!
What Are Dental Crowns?
Dental crowns are tooth-shaped caps that fit over teeth like a helmet. When a tooth is significantly damaged, but still healthy enough to avoid extraction, we may use a dental crown to protect it!
Dental crowns are necessary when your tooth is:
- Severely cracked or broken
- Badly damaged from infection
Intensely worn down from grinding or abrasion
Often, we try more conservative methods before performing a dental crown procedure, such as dental fillings or bonding. However, if a tooth’s damage is too extreme, a dental crown may be the solution you need.
At Big Sky Dentures & Implants, we aim to save your teeth whenever possible. Dental crowns allow us to preserve your natural tooth by fortifying its structure with a protective cover.
The Dental Crown Process
The traditional dental crown process requires a healthy tooth as a base. If your tooth is infected, we’ll need to treat it before placing a dental crown on top.
Once your tooth is healthy, we will begin the tooth preparation process!
This preparatory procedure involves using a local anesthetic to numb your tooth and gums. When you’re comfortable, we’ll use special dental tools to shave down your enamel on all sides. Using our digital scanner, we’ll then develop a digital model of your tooth to send to a dental lab. There, technicians will fabricate your custom crown to match your surrounding teeth. The process takes a few weeks, so we’ll provide you with a temporary crown in the meantime.
Once your final crown restoration arrives, we will cement it over your prepared tooth to fortify its structure and revamp your smile!
Understanding Implant-Supported Dental Crowns
While we try to save your natural teeth, it isn’t always possible. If the damage to your tooth is too severe or an infected tooth is jeopardizing the surrounding teeth, we may recommend extraction to maintain your smile’s health.
However, missing teeth need replacement as soon as possible, as they have unfortunate consequences on your oral health. These consequences include:
- Shifting teeth: When a tooth is missing, the surrounding teeth shift towards the gap, causing major misalignments. Not only do shifting teeth interfere with the aesthetics of your smile, but they also create spaces for bacteria to hide, increasing your risk of infection.
- Eating challenges: As your teeth shift, you may find that eating certain foods becomes a struggle. The more teeth you lose, the more you may need to adjust your diet!
- Resorbing jawbone: Natural teeth have roots that embed in your jawbone, providing stimulation every time you bite or chew. This stimulation is essential to keep your jawbone healthy and full, as without it, your bone begins to resorb, gradually losing mass and volume.
Fortunately, we use dental implants to replace missing teeth! These titanium screws secure in your jawbone to take the place of missing tooth roots, preventing your teeth from shifting, restoring your ability to eat, and maintaining the health of your jaw. Similar to a traditional crown, these restorations are tooth-shaped caps. Though rather than using your natural tooth for support, they rely on dental implants.
The Implant Crown Process
Before beginning implant treatment, we always start with a consultation.
Here, we’ll take a 3D digital scan of your smile to assess your jawbone. Because tooth loss leads to bone loss, many patients require bone grafting procedures before implant placement. Once we determine you’re eligible for implants, we’ll create a custom treatment plan for your smile and schedule your placement appointment!
At Big Sky Dentures & Implants, we use mini dental implants. These small titanium posts, measuring less than 3 mm in diameter, feature a one-piece design that allows for easy placement.
To begin your procedure, we’ll use a local anesthetic to numb your gums. Then, we’ll create a small pilot hole in your jaw through your gum tissue, just large enough to fit the implant. Afterwards, we’ll gently screw the implant in place. We then place a temporary crown on top of your implant to protect it and maintain the aesthetics of your smile.
In a few weeks, your mini implant will be strong enough to support a permanent dental crown, custom-crafted to fit naturally with your remaining teeth.
Dental Crowns in Missoula, MT, at Big Sky Dentures & Implants
Just like a football player needs to protect their head, a damaged or missing tooth needs protection as well. With dental crowns, we can either fortify the structure of your natural tooth or replace a missing tooth using mini implants for support! These natural-looking restorations keep your smile healthy and beautiful, lasting for years to come.
If your smile could benefit from dental crowns, book a consultation to learn how Big Sky Dentures & Implants can help!
Frequently Asked Questions
The cost of your dental crowns depends on various factors.
Traditional crowns are relatively inexpensive, especially with the help of dental insurance coverage. While patients may face some out-of-pocket costs, they’re typically affordable for most.
Implant-supported crowns, in contrast, can be more expensive. Because the crown, implant, and bone grafting procedure all have their own costs, patients can expect to spend a little more than they would for a traditional crown.
Unfortunately, most insurance companies don’t provide coverage for dental implants. However, Big Sky Dentures & Implants partners with third-party financing companies that help alleviate some of the financial burden! By splitting costs into manageable monthly payments, patients on a budget can afford to keep their smiles happy and healthy.
A properly made crown fits perfectly over your prepared tooth, protecting it from additional damage or decay. However, you need to take care of your teeth to ensure this connection stays secure. Without good oral hygiene care, the tooth underneath your prosthetic may develop infections that affect your oral health.
To keep it clean, we recommend brushing your teeth gently but thoroughly, flossing, and attending routine dental visits.
Before placing a dental crown, we use a local anesthetic to numb your smile.
While you need to remain awake for your dental procedure, we can also offer sedation options that help you relax throughout the procedure!
Nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas, is a safe and effective method to keep you calm but alert. Using a mouth or nosepiece, we simply have you breathe in the gas, and you’ll immediately begin to feel its calming effects. Once your procedure is complete, you’ll breathe in oxygen through the mouth or nosepiece, effectively flushing the gas from your system and leaving you with a clear head.