Crowns

 Crowns are caps that are placed on top of teeth that are damaged due to decay, broken teeth, birth defects and when endodontic treatment has been done.  Crowns are full cover restorations that cover, protect and in turn restore the shape of your teeth.  Crowns can be made from a variety of substances including metal, procelain, resin and ceramic materials.  Dr. Luong does not use stainless steel crowns as they are normally used as a temporary repair and are usually done on children under the age of 6 and done on their primary teeth.  He does use gold crowns, especially if a patient grinds his/hers teeth.  Gold crown are usually more expensive and we normally have to call the lab to find out the cost of gold on that date.  Many Insurance companies will not pay for the added cost of gold; therefore, it is passed on to the patient portion of the procedure. But if the crown lasts longer, even with the grinding, the long term cost outweighs the initial cost of a gold crown.

The actual procedure of preparing the tooth for a crown takes about 1 hour to 90 minutes.  After the proper consent forms are completed, numbing gel is placed around the tooth that is needing the crown.  Once that takes effect, Dr. Luong will use lidocaine to numb that area.  It's not uncommon for the assistant to take an X-ray and also make an impression to make your temporary crown.  When that is completed, Dr. Luong will begin to remove decay and shape the remaining tooth structure to support the crown.  Once that has been done the assistant will either take more impressions or use a digital scanner to send the images directly to the lab for fabrication.  Then the temporary crown is placed with temporary cement.  Instructions are then explained, such as don't eat anything that is chewy like gum, caramel, taffy and directions on how to floss around your temporary crown.

The office staff will notify you when your crown has arrived in the office.  An appointment will be made to deliver your new crown.  This appointment generally takes 45 minutes to 1 hour.

If you have a tooth that is bothering you or you know that you need a crown, please call our office at 254-773-0055 and our friendly staff will be more than happy to answer any questions that you might have and to get you scheduled to see Dr. Luong.  At Care Dental Spa, it is our goal to make you and your family patients for life. For More information please visit - https://www.caredentalspa.com/aboutus.php

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