Nobody wakes up hoping to hear you need a dental crown. But here at our Forestdale Drive office, we have to say those words pretty often. And we know exactly what runs through your head when we do.
Will it hurt? How long does it take? Will it look fake? Those are fair questions, and we want to answer every single one before you ever sit down in our chair. So let’s walk through what getting a crown at Fuller Dental actually looks like. No surprises, no dental school jargon, just a straight conversation between neighbors in Burlington.
First, What Even Is a Crown?
A crown is basically a custom-made cap. It fits right over your existing tooth, like a little helmet. We use them when a tooth is too damaged for a simple filling but still has good roots underneath.
Common reasons people need one:
- A tooth chipped (maybe from biting something you shouldn’t have)
- A large old filling finally gave up
- You had a root canal and that tooth needs protection
- A tooth is just worn down from years of grinding
The goal is simple: save your natural tooth so you don’t lose it.
Here’s What Actually Happens (No Surprises)
Visit number one takes about 60 to 90 minutes. First, we numb the area completely. You’ll feel pressure but not pain. Then we gently shape your tooth to make room for the crown. Think of it like prepping a surface before painting; it’s precise but straightforward.
Once that’s done, we take digital impressions of your tooth. No goopy trays if we can help it. Those digital scans go straight to the lab that will craft your permanent crown. Before you leave that first day, we fit you with a temporary crown. It looks normal and lets you eat (carefully). It buys time while your real crown gets made, which usually takes two to three weeks.
Visit number two is the short one. We take off the temporary crown, clean everything up, and try on your permanent crown. We check the fit, the color, how it feels when you bite down. If everything looks right, and it almost always does, we cement it into place permanently.
Do Crowns Look Fake?
This is the question everyone wants to ask but doesn’t.
Modern crowns, especially the ones we use at Fuller Dental, look incredibly natural. We match the color to your surrounding teeth. We shape them to fit your bite. Unless you point at it and say “look at my crown,” nobody will ever notice it.
We offer different materials too. Some patients prefer all-porcelain because it looks the most natural. Others need something stronger for back teeth that do all the heavy chewing. We’ll talk through what makes sense for you.
How Long Do They Last?
With decent care? Ten to fifteen years easily. Some last much longer.
And “decent care” just means brushing, flossing, and seeing us for regular checkups. A crown can’t get a cavity itself (it’s not real tooth), but the gum line around it still needs love and attention.
Restore Your Bite Today
A crown could save a tooth that would otherwise need to be pulled. Keeping your natural teeth is almost always better than replacing them. So while getting a crown isn’t anyone’s favorite way to spend a morning, it’s a whole lot better than the alternatives.
If you’ve been told you need one and you have questions, don’t hesitate to reach out and schedule a consultation. We’d rather answer ten questions upfront than have you show up nervous because you didn’t know what to expect.
You’ve got this. And we’ve got you.