When Does a Tooth Need a Crown?
Crowns are recommended when a tooth has lost too much structure for a filling, inlay, or onlay to hold up. The most common reasons include:
- Large Fillings or Extensive Decay: When most of a tooth is filling material, the remaining walls are thin and prone to breaking.
- Cracked or Fractured Teeth: A crown binds the tooth together and keeps a crack from spreading toward the root.
- After a Root Canal: Back teeth treated with a root canal become more brittle and usually need a crown to prevent fracture.
- Severe Wear: Grinding or acid erosion can shorten teeth, and crowns rebuild their height and shape.
- Dental Implants: An implant crown is the visible tooth that attaches to an implant post.
- Anchoring a Bridge: Crowns on the teeth beside a gap hold a dental bridge in place.
- Cosmetic Concerns: A badly misshapen or discolored tooth can be reshaped with a crown when cosmetic bonding or veneers aren’t enough.
Same-Day Crowns With Our Glidewell IO Mill
Traditional crowns take two visits and a few weeks of wearing a temporary crown while a lab makes the final restoration. Our Glidewell IO system skips that wait using CAD/CAM technology. After preparing the tooth, Dr. Bartz takes a digital scan, designs your crown on screen, and sends the design to our in-office mill, which carves it from a solid block of high-strength ceramic.
The crown is then finished, checked for fit, and bonded in place before you leave. You’ll only need to be numbed once, and there’s no temporary crown to loosen or break while you wait. For front teeth, where translucency and fine color detail matter most, we partner with a high-quality American dental lab for hand-layered porcelain.
Crowns for Dental Implants
Providing permanent, stable restorations with dental implants is a core part of our practice. Once an implant has fused with the jawbone, Dr. Bartz attaches an abutment and a custom crown shaded to match your neighboring teeth. The result looks and functions like a natural tooth, and it never needs a root canal or develops a cavity.
Our team also evaluates implants that aren’t doing well. If an implant crown feels loose, the gum around an implant is swollen or bleeding, or you’ve been told an implant is failing, we can examine it and explain your options.
Dental Crown Materials
Zirconia is the strongest tooth-colored material and works well for molars and for patients who grind. Lithium disilicate, a glass ceramic, offers a balance of strength and lifelike translucency that suits premolars and many front teeth. Porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns are still available in specific situations, though most patients today prefer all-ceramic options. Every crown we place is made in our office or by a trusted American lab.
What to Expect at a Same-Day Crown Appointment
A same-day crown visit usually takes about two to three hours from start to finish:
- Exam and Numbing: Dr. Bartz reviews your X-rays, confirms the plan, and numbs the tooth. Nitrous oxide is available if you’d like help relaxing.
- Tooth Preparation: Any decay or old filling material is removed, and the tooth is shaped so the crown can fit over it.
- Digital Scan: An intraoral scanner captures a 3D image of the tooth, with no impression trays involved.
- Design and Milling: Your crown is designed on screen to match your bite and then milled in our office while you relax.
- Final Placement: The crown is tried in, adjusted, polished, and permanently bonded to the tooth.
Caring for Your Crown
A crown can’t get a cavity, but the natural tooth underneath it still can, especially at the edge where the crown meets the gum. Brush twice a day, floss daily, and keep your routine cleanings so we can check the margins. Avoid chewing ice, hard candy, or pens, and ask about a custom nightguard if you clench or grind.
How Much Do Dental Crowns Cost?
In the U.S., a porcelain or zirconia crown typically costs about $1,000 to $2,500 per tooth, with a national average near $1,400. Implant crowns usually cost more because they include the abutment that connects the crown to the implant. If a tooth needs a core buildup first to support the crown, that’s typically a separate fee.
Most dental insurance plans cover crowns as major restorative care, often around 50% after the deductible. Patients without insurance can save 20% on crowns, buildups, and implant crowns through the KB Dental Membership Plan. We’ll go over your estimate before any work begins.
