Dental crown
The last option for protecting a tooth that is decayed or weakened by a root canal.
A crown completely covers the visible part of a tooth.
It can be used for extremely broken teeth, teeth that have been repaired with a root canal, or to cover teeth that have been filled too much.
First things first
We’ll start by discussing all the treatment options with you. We then make an impression of your tooth before beginning treatment so we can create a perfectly adapted and attractive temporary crown to protect your tooth while the lab technician makes the permanent ceramic crown.
Dental crowns at the CHD
When a tooth is too decayed for conventional composite resin restoration or even an onlay, the dentist has no choice but to cover it with a crown. The crown protects the tooth and even restores its long-term strength and appearance.
The CHD uses crowns that are made in Switzerland (in Meyrin). They’re metal-free and 100% ceramic, offering an aesthetically pleasing appearance and better biocompatibility.
Let’s see how they work:
Recommendations
Your dentist will place the crown then do a check-up X-ray you’ll look at together. You’ll then see a hygienist to talk about the best way to properly clean your crown to make it last longer. Nothing should be left to chance!
PRICING
On estimate after evaluation ~1200.-
You can pay by invoice and in instalments.
How much does a crown cost?
Ceramic crowns cost an average of 1,000 CHF.
Their price varies based on several factors, including:
- Tooth position. (Front teeth require more detailed ceramic work than back teeth)
- The ceramic thickness required
- The amount of your own tooth (and the quality of the tissue) on which the crown will be cemented
- The type of enamel on the other teeth next to the crown. To achieve a natural look and ensure that your crown is virtually invisible, we have to match the reflectiveness and opacity or transparency of your other teeth. In some cases, that may mean scheduling an extra appointment to try different ceramics until we find the ideal surface.
The price of your crown includes laboratory costs. You will also need to pay about 140 CHF for a temporary crown.
Once your damaged tooth has been filed down to its final shape to accept the crown, it will need to be protected with a temporary crown.
In addition to protecting your tooth, your temporary crown will:
- Mold your gum to prevent a line developing along the edge of your permanent crown.
- Work on the final shape of your tooth. This step is considered diagnostic since it enables your dentist to harmonize the shape and color of your teeth during the temporary crown phase.
Finally, a single crown is usually a little more expensive than multiple crowns since it has to fit in perfectly with your entire smile, which means perfectly reproducing all the micro-imperfections in your surrounding teeth.
It is usually easier to achieve a perfect match across multiple crowns.
Why would I need a crown?
A crown is the best treatment option if your teeth are severely damaged or broken or have already undergone a root canal. If the damaged part of your tooth is too large compared to the remaining volume of your natural tooth, a crown is the best option for a solid, attractive, and long-lasting restoration.
Crowns are not appropriate for healthy teeth or even teeth with mid-sized cavities.
They can give you a beautiful smile and are virtually impossible to distinguish from your natural teeth.
In the past, crowns had a metal edge which made them highly visible.
We now offer only 100% ceramic crowns, which are virtually undetectable.
Modern crowns are also extremely strong, so they can stand up to even the toughest foods and are perfect for both back teeth (molars and premolars) and front teeth (incisors and canines).
What is the difference between a crown and an implant?
- A crown is a ceramic cap that covers the visible, external part of your tooth: Your natural tooth and its roots are still there, they are simply hidden by the ceramic crown.
In other words, your natural tooth is not removed, just covered. Your tooth retains its natural anchor in your bone.
- With an implant, on the other hand, your entire tooth, both the external part and the roots, is removed because it is too severely damaged or infected. None of your natural tooth is left.
A screw, or implant, is placed to replace the root of your natural tooth and the external, visible portion is replaced with a crown.
So a dental implant is really just a screw with a crown attached to it.
Your crown can be either cemented or screwed onto the implant. The second option is usually slightly more expensive but is also more practical since the crown can be unscrewed and the crown-implant interface can be examined as necessary.
How is a crown applied?
Applying a crown usually takes 2 appointments:
- During the first appointment, your dentist prepares and files down the damaged part of your tooth, sometimes called the stump, so it can be capped with a crown.
Your dentist will also look at the teeth around your crown to ensure it matches them. In addition to matching their color, the crown should match their transparency or opacity, reflectiveness, and surface condition (smooth, grainy, wavy, etc.) and micro-imperfections to blend in seamlessly.
Your dentist will also create a temporary crown since the “stump” needs to be protected.
Finally, your dentist will use a scanner to take a 3D impression and email it to the lab.
The ceramicists will then draw your tooth in a 3D design application and use it to machine and manually finish your crown. All that work is done in our Meyrin laboratory.
- At your second appointment, your crown will be ready to be tested in your mouth.
Once it has been checked, your dentist will cement it with permanent cement and x-ray it to make sure there is no excess cement.
A follow-up appointment to check on your crown is often planned in the next few months.
Dental implants
