Dental Crowns – Overland Park, KS

What are Crowns?

Dental crowns are caps that fit over and cover a tooth. Crowns in essence will become the new outer surface of your tooth. Crowns are colored and shaped to look like a natural tooth. They restore a tooth’s appearance, it’s biting capacity, and may reduce its sensitivity.

Crowns work well for broken or cracked teeth, teeth that have deep fillings, or as a way to secure a bridge or cover an implant. Crowns are often needed after a root canal is completed on a posterior tooth to strengthen and restore it to proper function. They can be used on chewing teeth like molars and on front facing teeth in one’s smile where veneers aren’t a good solution due to extensive damage to tooth structure.

Crowns can be made out of stainless steel, gold, porcelain or both porcelain and metal. Dr. Krusich will use the material that best suits your needs and esthetic concerns to compliment your smile and improve your dental health.

 

Advantages & Disadvantages of Crowns

Advantages of Crowns

  • Depending upon the material used, crowns can last 10 years or longer.
  • Crowns protect the exterior surface of a tooth while allowing the natural tooth’s root to remain.
  • Crowns protect teeth with deep fillings where they could possibly break and lead to tooth loss.
  • Crowns protect teeth from unconscious grinding of the jaw (typically at night) that can lead to tooth loss.

Disadvantages of Crowns

  • Permanent tooth preparation is required for a crown. This reshapes the natural tooth so the crown fits properly. Once a tooth is prepped for a crown, there is no going back.

What to Expect When Considering Crowns

After the initial consultation to determine if a crown is right for you, 2 distinct appointments in our Overland Park / Leawood office are necessary.

First Appointment

  1. Dr. Krusich prepares the tooth down to create room for the crown.
  2. Dr. Krusich’s assistant, will take a mold of the tooth and send it to the lab so they can make the crown. This usually takes a couple of weeks.
  3. Dr. Krusich will apply a temporary crown so chewing and any discomfort is minimized until the second appointment.

Second Appointment

  1. Dr. Krusich will remove the temporary crown that was fitted during the first visit.
  2. He will then set the new crown from the lab and make any adjustments so it fits perfectly.
  3. Dr. Krusich then permanently bonds the crown in place.
  4. He then tests your bite to make sure it’s aligned and comfortable. If necessary, he’ll adjust the crown so your bite remains normal.

Insurance and Crowns

The cost for a dental crown varies depending upon the material used, external lab fees, and the complexity of your unique situation. On average though, crowns can range from $750-$1,500 apiece though.

While each insurer, plan, and case is unique, we’ve determined that most insurers will cover a portion of a crown’s cost. The best solution is for you to work with our insurance coordinator, so we can partner with you to determine what your insurance coverage provides.

And should you want to consider financing options, Dr. Krusich uses Care Credit and we have found them to be generous when working with patients that need crowns.

Next Steps

It’s important for Dr. Krusich to evaluate if crowns are right for you. Fortunately, he can do this in our Overland Park office during one of your regular hygiene visits or as a dedicated appointment. If you have questions regarding crowns, please call Dr. Krusich at 913-383-2600 to schedule a consultation