Restorative dentistry
Dental crowns — refined for 75 years.
Crowns are how we rebuild a tooth that’s been damaged, weakened by a large filling, or treated with a root canal. This office has been placing crowns on western Augusta County families since 1950.
A dental crown is a custom-made cap that covers a tooth completely, restoring its shape, strength, and appearance. Crowns get used when a tooth has been weakened past what a filling can handle: a deep cavity that’s thinned the walls, a fracture line that runs through the chewing surface, an old filling that has finally given out, or a tooth that’s just had root canal therapy and needs protection.
Materials — porcelain and ceramic
We use modern all-ceramic and porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns, chosen for the tooth being restored. Front teeth almost always get all-ceramic — the way it reflects light is what makes it look like enamel. Back molars sometimes get a stronger material for heavy chewing function. Either way, we color-match the crown to your existing teeth so it sits invisibly in your smile.
The two-visit process
The first appointment is the preparation visit. We numb the tooth, shape it to make room for the crown, take a digital impression, and place a custom-fit temporary crown. You go home with full chewing function — just careful with sticky foods on that side.
Two to three weeks later, you come back for the seating visit. We remove the temporary, check the fit and color of the permanent crown carefully, make any small adjustments, and cement it into place. That visit is usually under an hour, comfortable, and you can eat normally as soon as you leave.
A service we’ve done a long time
Crowns are one of the longest-running restorative services in this office. The materials have changed dramatically since 1950 — the techniques, less so. Care taken in shaping the tooth, in capturing the impression, in checking the bite at the seating visit — those are the things that make a crown fit perfectly and last for decades. That kind of careful work doesn’t go out of style.
How long crowns last
With good home care and regular cleanings, fifteen to twenty-plus years is a realistic expectation. Some Churchville patients have crowns from this office that have lasted thirty years and counting. The variables are the underlying tooth health, how heavily you grind or clench, and how consistent your routine cleanings have been.
Frequently asked
Crowns — common questions.
How long do crowns last?
With good care, fifteen to twenty-plus years is a reasonable expectation. Some patients have crowns from this office that have lasted thirty years and counting. The variables are the quality of the underlying tooth, how heavily you clench or grind, and the consistency of your home care.
Will my crown look natural?
Yes — modern all-ceramic crowns reflect light the way enamel does, and we color-match to the teeth beside it. Most patients can't tell a properly-fitted crown from a natural tooth at conversational distance.
Does it hurt?
The tooth is fully numbed for the preparation visit, so you feel pressure but not pain. Some patients have mild sensitivity for a few days afterward, especially to cold. That settles on its own. The seating visit, when the permanent crown is cemented, is typically very quick and comfortable.
How long does it take?
Most crowns take two visits over two to three weeks. The first visit prepares the tooth and takes the digital impression — about 90 minutes. You leave with a temporary crown. The second visit, about two weeks later, seats the permanent crown and is usually under an hour.
Can a crown fall off?
Rarely, but it happens — usually from biting something hard on it, or from old cement giving way after many years. If it does, drop the crown in a container, call us, and bring it with you. We can almost always re-cement the original crown the same day.
What if I grind my teeth?
We can still place crowns successfully — but a custom nightguard is strongly recommended afterward, both to protect the new crown and to slow wear on the rest of your teeth. We discuss this with every patient who grinds.
Need a crown?
Start with an exam. We’ll review what your tooth needs and walk you through what the work involves.