Dental Crowns – Wylie, TX
Crucial Repair for a Child’s Teeth
Ultimately, even little kids can suffer from tooth decay and dental damage. It’s not as if baby teeth are invincible, after all. They can get cavities from plaque, suffer from oral injuries, and more. Still, there’s a helpful solution for such situations: durable dental crowns! At Wylie Children’s Dentistry, crown treatment can repair a child’s smile quickly and effectively. Just keep reading to learn more about it, or call our office for details!
What is a Dental Crown?
In essence, a dental crown is a “cap” that covers a tooth’s damaged portion. Its role is to protect and restore a chomper by preventing further harm to the treated area.
In light of these features, kids who get dental crowns typically have:
- Very worn down or broken teeth
- A tooth (or teeth) that just had a root canal
- Cavities that can’t be treated with a filling
- Teeth that are misshapen or discolored
- A weak smile that’s at risk of fracturing
Of course, your child should visit our office before anything is settled. We can assess their oral health and see if a crown suits their needs.
The Dental Crown Process
For kids and adults alike, the crown process takes two dental visits. These sessions include three major steps: consultation, prep work, and the final placement.
The consultation will have Dr. Pearson examine your child’s smile. More specifically, he’ll understand their oral needs, learn their medical history, and address relevant questions. Such things ensure that your tyke receives the best care possible.
If Dr. Pearson approves, the consult then shifts into a “prep” visit. This step prepares your child’s tooth (or teeth) for crown treatment. In particular, it removes bits of enamel so the future prosthetic fits snugly. Our team will also take a dental impression, which a lab will use to craft the final restoration. This crafting goes on for a few weeks, so a temporary crown is placed in the meantime.
Your tyke will return for placement when the permanent crown is ready. Once that’s done, we’ll polish and adjust the prosthetic accordingly.
The Benefits of Getting a Dental Crown
Without care, your child’s damaged tooth will likely cause long-term oral problems. A dental crown, however, prevents such things. In fact, its benefits would include the following:
- Tooth Protection: By covering a tooth’s exposed portion, a crown protects it from harm. Consequently, the pearly white is unlikely to get infected or need a later root canal.
- Lifelike Looks: Our dental crowns are metal-free and tooth-colored. As such, they blend seamlessly with the rest of your child’s smile.
- Versatile Care: A crown is versatile enough to correct various tooth issues – decay, cavities, dental injury, and more.
- Long-Lasting Results: So long as your child brushes, flosses, and sees their dentist, their crown’s lifespan could reach 15 years or more.
Understanding the Cost of Dental Crowns
Upon learning that your child requires a dental crown, one of the first concerns that can pop into your head is how much the treatment will cost. At Wylie Children’s Dentistry, we’re proud to offer transparent pricing and do what we can to make the process of getting your little one the time-sensitive care they need as easy as possible. Because dental crowns are custom crafted for each of our individual patients’ needs, their costs can vary based on several factors. We invite you to take a look into these details below.
Factors That Affect the Cost of Dental Crowns
There are three main factors that can affect the cost of your child’s dental crown in Wylie. Our team will outline each of these with you during their consultation:
- The Materials Used: Dental crowns can be crafted from a variety of materials depending on your little one’s needs. At our practice, we most often use metal-free ones, like ceramic. These are not only durable, but also aesthetically pleasing, allowing your child to still feel confident in these key developmental periods of their life. These can sometimes be more costly than metal, as they are higher quality.
- Preliminary Treatments: Typically, dental crowns are needed following a treatment, like pulp therapy or a large cavity filling. These preliminary procedures will incur separate fees apart from the crown itself.
- The Location of the Crown: If your child needs one of their front teeth to be restored, this could cost more due to the aesthetic details involved. Typically, restoring molars with crowns is less expensive.
Does Dental Insurance Cover Children’s Dental Crowns?
At Wylie Children’s Dentistry, we’re proud to be in-network with several major PPO dental insurance plans. This means that we’ve negotiated discounted rates and fees with the insurance companies to offer our patients lower out-of-pocket costs. Even if you aren’t in-network with our practice, we can still file claims on your behalf to maximize your benefits. To find out if we accept your insurance, we invite you to call our friendly team.
Options for Making Dental Crowns for Kids More Affordable
For parents who are uninsured or underinsured, our practice also offers an in-house Membership Plan through KLEER®. Once subscribed, you can have all of your child’s preventive dentistry covered for the entire year as well as receive discounts on additional services.
Dental Crowns FAQs
If you believe your child could benefit from a dental crown, Dr. Pearson and our team are here to help. Before you book a consultation, though, you might want to know more about what lies ahead for your young one. Below, you will find answers to some frequently asked questions about this service. If your specific questions are not listed here, give us a call — we will be happy to speak with you!
What Are Dental Crowns Made Of?
Temporary crowns are usually made of stainless steel because they are cost-effective and easy to remove when the time comes. Permanent crowns, on the other hand, can be made out of a variety of materials, including various metals and porcelain-fused-to-metal.
In our practice, Dr. Pearson strongly favors all-ceramic crowns. They are metal-free, which makes them great for children with certain allergies and sensitivities. Plus, they look incredibly lifelike. You will not have to worry about your child being embarrassed by a crown that stands out against their natural dentition.
Are Dental Crowns Permanent?
If your child gets a crown for one of their adult teeth, the restoration will likely need to be replaced every 5 – 15 years for the rest of your child’s life. Crowns require a permanent commitment because part of the preparation process involves removing some tooth enamel. The enamel will not grow back on its own, so the tooth will always need some form of protection.
You can help your child lengthen the lifespan of their crown by encouraging them to stick to good habits. For example, they should brush their teeth twice a day, floss once a day, and attend regular dental checkups.
If your child gets a crown on one of their primary (baby) teeth, it will fall out with the tooth when it is ready to be replaced by an adult tooth.
Do Dental Crowns Get Cavities?
Crowns cannot technically get cavities because they are made of very different materials than natural tooth enamel. However, the teeth beneath crowns remain vulnerable to decay. Bacteria can sneak beneath a restoration and cause damage.
You can help your child reduce the risk of cavities on their crowned teeth by monitoring their oral hygiene habits. They should be diligent about brushing along their gumline and flossing the tight areas between their teeth.
Does It Hurt to Get a Dental Crown?
We want our patients to be comfortable, so we provide local anesthetic for any procedures that might otherwise cause pain. If your child is particularly anxious, we may recommend nitrous oxide sedation.
After any sedation and anesthesia wear off, your child might complain of some discomfort and sensitivity. Give them soft foods that are neither extremely hot nor extremely cold. They should also temporarily avoid spicy and acidic items. They can take appropriate doses of OTC pain medication if necessary. Usually, crown-related sensitivity wears off within a few days to a few weeks.