Fix Your Smile with Affordable Dental Crowns
Struggling with everyday activities like speaking or eating due to damaged, worn, or decayed teeth? Dental crowns offer a swift solution, reinstating the functionality and visual appeal of your teeth.
At the Kailua-Kona, HI, dental office of Dr. Frederic Gaeta, our skilled team of dentists offers custom tooth crowns to restore your smile. Discover the power of personalized dental crowns by calling (808) 329-3314.
What Are Dental Crowns?
Dental crowns are personalized restorations that strengthen, protect, and enhance the natural tooth structure. These caps, typically made from materials like porcelain, match the tooth’s color, shape, and size. They offer structural reinforcement for damaged, decayed, or weakened teeth, ensuring functionality and aesthetics.
Benefits of Dental Crowns
The benefits of dental crowns encompass a range of advantages that contribute to oral health and aesthetics:
- Strengthening and Protection: Crowns fortify weak teeth, safeguarding their structure.
- Enhanced Appearance: A dental crown can conceal imperfections like cracks or discoloration, blending with natural teeth for a better look.
- Longevity: Porcelain crowns endure stains and maintain function over time.
- Improved Functionality: A dental crown can restore the ability to bite and chew.
- Versatility: They serve various purposes, including replacing old fillings.
- Tooth Decay Protection: Tooth crowns act as a barrier against harmful bacteria.
- Customization: Each dental crown matches the individual’s teeth for a perfect fit.
Candidacy for Dental Crowns
Suitability for dental crowns is determined by specific dental conditions:
- Cracked or Chipped Teeth: Candidates with damaged teeth benefit from the reinforcement and aesthetic improvement offered by crowns.
- Discolored or Stained Teeth: Those seeking to mask discoloration or staining find dental crowns effective in enhancing their smile’s appearance.
- Weakened or Worn-Down Teeth: Individuals with teeth that have been worn or weakened can regain strength and function through dental crowns.
- Severe Tooth Decay: Crowns provide the necessary support for teeth significantly affected by decay, restoring structure and appearance.
However, not everyone may be ideal for dental crowns. A consultation with Dr. Gaeta helps determine personalized suitability for this restorative dental solution. Call our Kailua-Kona dental office at (808) 329-3314 to learn more.
The Dental Crown Procedure
Receiving dental and temporary crowns is a simple dental procedure that Dr. Gaeta completes in two visits here at our Kailua-Kona, HI, office:
- Initial Consultation and Assessment: During the first appointment, Dr. Gaeta evaluates your oral health to determine the suitability of dental crowns. This involves examining affected teeth, discussing concerns, and addressing questions.
- Tooth Preparation: Your dentist removes decay or damage and reshapes the tooth to accommodate the crown, ensuring a stable foundation and proper fit.
- Impressions and Temporary Crown: Dr. Gaeta will take detailed impressions of the prepared tooth to create a custom crown that matches your natural teeth. He’ll then place a temporary crown to protect the tooth while the permanent crown is crafted.
- Custom Dental Crown Fabrication: Skilled technicians in a dental laboratory craft the custom crown using precise molds based on the impressions, ensuring it matches in size, shape, and color.
- Final Crown Placement: During the next appointment, Dr. Gatea will remove the temporary crown. Your dentist carefully positions the permanent crown, making necessary adjustments for proper bite alignment and aesthetics.
- Evaluation and Final Checks: Post-placement, Dr. Gaeta evaluates the crown’s fit, functionality, and appearance, ensuring comfort and natural functioning.
- Aftercare Instructions: Dr. Gaeta provides specific aftercare guidance, emphasizing oral hygiene, dietary considerations, and regular dental check-ups to maintain the crown’s longevity.
Aftercare for Dental Crowns
Following the placement of dental crowns, proper aftercare of new crowns is crucial to ensure their longevity and maintain overall oral health. Here are essential guidelines for effective aftercare:
- Regular Brushing: Continue brushing your teeth twice daily using a soft-bristled toothbrush. Gently brush the crown along with the surrounding teeth.
- Flossing: Incorporate daily flossing to remove plaque and debris between teeth, including around the crown. Use a floss threader if necessary.
- Night Guards: If you have a habit of teeth grinding or clenching, consider using a night guard to prevent undue pressure on the crowns while sleeping.
- Routine Appointments: Maintain regular dental check-ups to ensure the crowns are in good condition. Your dentist will assess their stability and address any concerns promptly.
- Sensitivity or Discomfort: Pay attention to any sensitivity or discomfort while chewing. If you experience persistent issues, consult your dentist promptly.
- Protective Measures: Take precautions to avoid trauma to the dental crowns. This includes refraining from using your teeth for tasks like opening packages or biting hard objects.
- Regular Cleanings: Schedule professional dental cleanings to remove plaque or tartar buildup around the crowns. This helps in preventing gum disease and maintaining overall oral hygiene.
Financing Dental Crowns
Affordable Dental Care
Understanding that dental procedures can incur significant costs, we prioritize offering accessible financing and payment options to ensure all our patients can access necessary dental work. We discuss treatment costs and available payment methods upfront to assist you in making informed decisions tailored to your preferences.
Convenient Payment Plans
Your smile’s health matters, and we strive to simplify access to top-tier dental care. Our Kailua-Kona office staff assists with insurance claims and paperwork, working closely with your insurance provider to align coverage with your budgetary constraints and specific needs.
We tailor payment plans to suit your requirements, ensuring your oral health remains a priority. We accept various payment methods, including cash, personal checks, major credit cards (Visa, American Express, Mastercard, Discover), and work with major insurance providers.
LendingClub Financing
As part of our commitment to accessible dental care, we collaborate with LendingClub, a trusted third-party financing service. LendingClub offers loans featuring no-interest and low monthly payment options, specifically designed to facilitate necessary dental care. Their online application process is quick and straightforward, providing a range of plans suited to diverse needs, ensuring you find one that aligns with your circumstances.
Frequently Asked Questions
Dental crowns typically last five to 15 years, contingent on care, oral hygiene, and the material used. Porcelain crowns are more stain-resistant, maintaining their color longer than other materials. Consult your dentist to learn more about crown maintenance.
The duration of receiving a dental crown varies. Following the initial consultation, which assesses candidacy and prepares the tooth to get a dental crown, it takes around two to three weeks to fabricate a custom crown in a dental laboratory. During this time, a temporary crown protects the prepared tooth.
Receiving a dental crown doesn’t cause pain. Local anesthesia is administered during the tooth preparation phase to ensure comfort. Post-procedure, some individuals might experience mild discomfort or sensitivity, which subsides within a few days.
While dental crowns themselves can’t be whitened, maintaining good oral hygiene and regular dental cleanings can help keep the crown’s color consistent with the natural teeth. If discoloration occurs, professional cleaning or replacement of the cracked tooth can restore its appearance.
Restore your Smile’s Health, Beauty, and Function with Crowns
Porcelain crowns are durable and long-lasting, and won’t cause leakage or staining over time like metal crowns. For patients seeking a natural solution to tooth damage, crowns are the answer.
Ready to restore your smile’s radiance and health? Dr. Gaeta is poised to assist. Book an appointment at our Kailua-Kona office by calling (808) 329-3314. Experience the transformation towards a flawless smile! We also welcome patients from Haluaoa, Kukio, and Honalo, HI.