Dental Crowns – Silver Spring, MD
Restore your child’s smile with durable dental crowns
Whether your child has a tooth that is badly damaged or cracked, or that has a cavity that is too large to be treated with a traditional filling, dental crowns can help. Made of durable, realistic looking zirconia, dental crowns fit over the existing tooth like a cap, blending naturally into their smile and protecting the underlying tooth from additional damage. To get a dental crown, your child’s dentist will remove the damaged enamel and reshape the tooth so it can accommodate the prosthesis. Then, using impressions from the original tooth, a crown will be customized to cover the remaining healthy tooth, where it will blend in seamlessly and can be used to eat a full, healthy diet. In fact, dental crowns are so lifelike your child may even forget they have one!
Why Choose Healthy Kids Dentistry for Dental Crowns?
- Durable, natural materials used.
- Dental insurance accepted, flexible financing welcome, in-house membership plan available.
- Sedation options available
What Is a Dental Crown?
A dental crown is a deluxe filling that fits over the entire tooth like a cap or a crown. Made of durable, natural looking materials, dental crowns act as fully functional teeth and blend effortlessly into your child’s smile.
If your child has a tooth that is badly decayed, chipped, cracked or infected, your dentist may recommend a dental crown. Dental crowns can be used on both permanent and baby teeth, and although they may cost more than extractions, they allow the patient to keep and use their natural teeth and avoid future orthodontic problems that can occur following premature baby tooth loss.
The Process of Getting a Dental Crown
The process of getting a dental crown begins with impressions of the damaged tooth. Next, your child’s dentist will numb their mouth and remove any damaged or decayed portion of the tooth. Your child will be given a temporary crown to use until their permanent crown is back from the dental lab. Though temporary crowns are durable, be sure that he or she brushes and flosses carefully around it, so it does not fall out. If it does, just give us a call and we’ll have you come back to reattach it. You’ll also want to temporarily restrict their diet with a temporary crown, avoiding foods that are very crunchy or sticky, as these can dislodge it.
Your child’s new dental crown should take about two weeks to return from the dental lab. Once ready, we will schedule you to return to the office to have it placed. At the second appointment, the dentist will remove the temporary crown, polish the tooth, and then attach the new permanent crown. Once attached, your child can begin using the new crown immediately to enjoy a full diet. Be sure that they are brushing and flossing around the crown daily, as it does not make teeth immune to cavities or decay going forward. In fact, a tooth treated with a dental crown has about the same risk of cavities as an untreated tooth.
Benefits of Getting a Dental Crown
There are many benefits to getting a dental crown. First and foremost, neglecting damaged teeth can easily result in worsening damage and oral health problems. Dental crowns also offer the following amazing perks, including:
- Improved comfort and chewing ability.
- Protection for your child’s natural teeth so they don’t need to be extracted or become more seriously damaged.
- Crowns can be customized to match the surrounding teeth, making them virtually indistinguishable in your child’s smile.
With regular brushing and flossing, mindfulness while chewing, and routine check-ups at Healthy Kids Pediatric Dentistry, your child’s new dental crowns could protect their beautiful smiles for 15+ years!
Understanding the Cost of Children’s Dental Crowns
To establish the cost of your child’s dental crown, you will need to schedule a consultation with their pediatric dentist. These customizable restorations require a careful examination to determine the extent of the decay or damage and the cost to fix it. At Healthy Kids Pediatric Dentistry, we will help you maximize your dental insurance benefits and be happy to provide additional information about financing if needed.
Factors That Affect the Cost of Dental Crowns
Your child’s smile will differ from another patient’s, so the only way to determine how much you can expect to spend on their restorative treatment is to allow our team to conduct an oral examination. During this appointment, we’ll consider the following factors before presenting a cost estimate:
- How extensive is the decay or damage?
- What kind of materials will be required to create the crown?
- Will the child require additional treatment to address other dental issues (i.e., pulp therapy)
Answering these questions is possible with a visual examination and digital imaging, which we will complete in-house during the consultation.
Does Dental Insurance Cover Dental Crowns?
Paying for your child’s dental crown doesn’t have to be a financial burden, especially since most dental insurance companies will help cover a portion of the bill. When reviewing your policy, check to see how much is covered for minor or major restorative treatment. This is usually between 50% to 80%, depending on whether you’ve met your deductible and how much of your annual maximum remains available.
Other Options for Making Dental Crowns Affordable
If you need help paying the remaining balance after filing a claim with your insurance company, you can also ask about alternative options, such as CareCredit Financing. This allows you to split your payments into smaller, more manageable monthly payments. With our in-house plan, you pay a monthly fee for access to basic preventive needs and a 15% discount on all other essential treatments.
Dental Crowns FAQs
What will my child’s dental crown be made from?
Are you worried that your child’s dental crown will be made from silver-toned metal that draws unwanted attention to their damaged tooth? It’s natural to wonder what their restoration will be made from and what it might look like.
Our team in Silver Spring provides resilient prosthetics made out of a durable, tooth-colored ceramic called Zirconia. This material reflects light like enamel and can be customized to match the size, shape, and color of your kid’s natural teeth for seamless results that boost their confidence rather than contribute to self-consciousness.
Is my child’s dental crown permanent?
Some parents wonder whether these tooth-shaped caps are intended to be removable, but that’s not typically the case. They’re generally not meant to be taken off once they’ve been cemented over your child’s troublesome tooth except by a qualified professional, like one of our compassionate pediatric providers.
But it’s worth noting that for the restoration to fit correctly, we must remove a small amount of enamel from your child’s tooth, which doesn’t regrow. That means this treatment involves making irreversible changes to the underlying tooth's structure. However, this service isn’t always considered ‘permanent’, because dental crowns can eventually be worn down and require repairs or replacement.
Does getting a dental crown hurt?
Plenty of kids feel anxious when it comes to sitting in the dentist’s chair, especially if they have a more complex procedure to undergo, like preparing their teeth for or placing a dental crown.
Our team understands that your child might be nervous, and are here to assure you that we will do everything we can to help soothe their frayed nerves. For instance, we can apply a local anesthetic to numb their mouth before removing any enamel, and also offer nitrous oxide (laughing gas) sedation to help them feel calm and comfortable throughout their appointment. It’s normal to feel a little tender or sensitive after getting a crown, but symptoms can often be managed with over-the-counter pain medications, ice packs, and patience.
Do dental crowns get cavities?
If you’re concerned that you’ll invest in a new restoration for your child just for it to get cavities, you can set your fears aside! These tooth-shaped coverings aren’t made from the same organic components as enamel, so the bacteria in your mouth can’t harm it the same way.
But the underlying tooth and connective tissues might still develop decay or disease and erode the materials holding their crown in place, which can cause it to fail. This can be prevented by helping them brush and floss twice daily to remove plaque and bacteria that contribute to common oral issues, and visiting our team every 6 months for a routine checkup and cleaning.