Same Day Crowns

Having a decayed, damaged, or missing tooth does more than just put a dark spot on your smile; it can also severely impact your overall oral health. At Driggers & Baker Family Dentistry in West Columbia, Texas, the talented team of dental experts can restore your smile and improve the health of your mouth with a high-quality dental crown, a popular treatment for replacing missing teeth. To learn more or to get fitted for your dental crown, book an appointment today by calling the office or scheduling online.

Dental Crowns Q & A

What’s a crown?

A crown is an artificial tooth-shaped cap that’s placed on top of a damaged or decayed tooth in order to restore functionality, provide strength, and protect the tooth from further decay or damage. They can also be placed on top of a dental implant to replace a missing tooth. They feel and function just like a natural tooth, and some crowns are even designed to look like natural teeth, allowing them to seamlessly blend in with the rest of your smile.

Why do I need a crown?

By filling in the gaps in your smile or replacing an unsightly tooth, crowns can be an excellent way to cosmetically enhance your smile. But crowns also have a number of non-aesthetic benefits as well, such as:

Restore a tooth that’s severely decayed

Restore function to a badly damaged or worn tooth

Protect a weakened tooth from further injury

Improve your ability to speak and chew

And by reinforcing existing teeth in your smile, a crown prevents your other teeth from shifting and rotating out of place as they try to fill the hole caused by the missing tooth. Your smile was designed to function with all of its teeth working together in harmony, and a crown enables your mouth to stick to that plan.

What are crowns made out of?

The team at Driggers & Baker Family Dentistry only use the best materials and technology for your dental crown restorations. Depending on your unique needs and preferences, the dentists might use any one of the following materials:

Metal – metal crowns are incredibly strong and are well-suited for the back molars, where they do a good job at withstanding the pressure of chewing. They’ve been used in dentistry for many years, but are becoming less popular because of suitable alternatives that are tooth-colored.

Porcelain and ceramic – porcelain and ceramic crowns are strong, durable, and last for a long time. They’re also slightly translucent, which makes them look just like your natural teeth, but the material absorbs stains more easily than other options.

Zirconia – a white solid ceramic glaze and one of several newer materials that combine metal’s strength with the aesthetic, tooth-like appeal of porcelain. And zirconia crowns are continually being developed to further improve their performance.

How do I get a crown?

A crown typically requires two trips to the dentist, but Driggers & Baker Family Dentistry believe in offering the highest quality and most advanced dental care to their patients, and provide their patients with same-day CEREC® crowns that allow you to get fitted for a crown in one convenient office visit.

When you come in for your crown, your dentist first numbs the tooth-to-be-replaced and its surrounding tissues with a local anesthetic, then shaves off some of your enamel in order to make room for the crown.

Next, they use state-of-the-art 3D imaging to design a crown that’s “printed” right in the office. The crown is designed to fit perfectly in your mouth, feel comfortable in your bite, and look just like your natural teeth.

Once the crown is printed, your dentist prepares the tooth for the crown and permanently bonds it with a dental sealant. You’ll be able to chew, speak, and smile with confidence as soon as you leave the office!

To learn more about how Driggers & Baker Family Dentistry can improve your smile with a dental crown, schedule an appointment today by calling the office.