Dental Crowns in Burien, Washington

What Are Dental Crowns?

Dental crowns are custom restorations that completely cover a damaged or weakened tooth from the gum line up, essentially creating a new outer surface. Think of a crown as a protective helmet for your tooth – it surrounds and shields the remaining natural tooth structure while restoring the tooth’s original shape, size, and strength. Unlike  dental fillings that repair only a portion of a tooth, crowns provide comprehensive coverage and support for teeth that have been compromised beyond what simpler restorations can address.

Crowns serve both functional and aesthetic purposes. They allow you to bite and chew normally on teeth that would otherwise be too weak or sensitive to use comfortably. They also restore the natural appearance of damaged teeth, ensuring your smile looks complete and healthy. Modern crown materials and techniques have advanced dramatically, making it possible to create restorations that are virtually indistinguishable from your surrounding teeth in both appearance and feel.

The permanent solution that crowns provide makes them one of the most versatile and valuable treatments in restorative dentistry. Whether addressing tooth decay, repairing damage from trauma, protecting a tooth after root canal treatment, or improving cosmetic concerns, crowns offer reliable, long-lasting results that preserve your natural teeth and maintain your oral health.

When Do You Need a Dental Crown?

Extensive Decay or Damage

When tooth decay has progressed beyond what a filling can address, a crown becomes necessary. Large cavities can compromise the tooth’s structural integrity, making it vulnerable to fractures during normal chewing. A crown reinforces the remaining tooth structure while preventing further decay from reaching the inner pulp.

Teeth with large fillings that have been repaired multiple times may eventually reach a point where insufficient natural tooth structure remains to support another filling. In these cases, a crown provides the comprehensive coverage needed to keep the tooth functional. Without this protection, damaged teeth risk fracturing completely, potentially requiring extraction and more complex tooth replacement procedures like dental implants or ceramic bridges.

After Root Canal Treatment

Following root canal therapy, the affected tooth becomes more brittle and prone to fracture. A crown provides essential protection, allowing you to chew normally without worry. This combination of treatments can save a tooth that might otherwise need extraction, preserving your natural bite and preventing the need for more complex replacements.

Root canal treatment removes the tooth’s nerve and blood supply, eliminating the pain of infection but also leaving the tooth somewhat weakened. The tooth becomes more susceptible to cracking or breaking during normal chewing because it no longer has the internal moisture and flexibility that living teeth possess. A crown reinforces the tooth structure, distributing chewing forces evenly and preventing the fractures that commonly occur in teeth that have had root canal treatment without crown protection.

Cracked or Broken Teeth

Whether from injury, grinding, or biting something hard, cracked teeth require prompt attention. A crown holds the tooth together, preventing the crack from spreading and potentially causing tooth loss. The sooner you address a cracked tooth, the better the long-term prognosis.

Cracks in teeth can result from various causes – sports injuries, car accidents, falls, or simply the cumulative stress of years of heavy grinding or clenching. Sometimes a crack develops gradually from repeated stress, while other times it happens suddenly from biting something unexpectedly hard. Regardless of the cause, cracked teeth need stabilization to prevent the crack from deepening and reaching the tooth’s pulp, which would require root canal therapy in addition to crown placement.

Cosmetic Enhancement

Crowns can dramatically improve the appearance of misshapen, severely discolored, or poorly positioned teeth. When teeth whitening cannot achieve the desired results, crowns offer a permanent solution for creating your ideal smile.

Some teeth have intrinsic discoloration that doesn’t respond to conventional whitening treatments. Teeth affected by certain medications during development, those that have undergone root canal treatment, or teeth with internal staining from trauma may remain discolored despite professional whitening. Crowns cover these concerns completely, creating the bright, uniform appearance you desire. Similarly, teeth that are malformed, unusually small, or irregularly shaped can be corrected with crowns that create more aesthetically pleasing proportions.

Supporting Dental Bridges

When replacing missing teeth with a dental bridge, the natural teeth adjacent to the gap need crowns to support the bridge structure. These supporting teeth, called abutment teeth, are prepared and crowned to anchor the bridge securely in place. This application of crown technology allows missing teeth to be replaced without dental implant surgery, providing an effective solution for restoring complete smiles.

Covering Dental Implants

After a dental implant post has integrated with your jawbone, a crown is placed on top to create the visible portion of your replacement tooth. Implant crowns are specifically designed to attach to the implant abutment rather than covering a natural tooth, but they function similarly in restoring appearance and chewing ability. The crown component of an implant restoration is what makes the replacement tooth look and function like a natural tooth.

Crown Materials

Modern dentistry offers several crown material options, each with distinct advantages for different situations. Dr. Kim helps you understand these options and recommends the material that best suits your specific tooth, location in your mouth, and aesthetic preferences.

Porcelain Crowns

Porcelain crowns provide the most natural appearance, making them ideal for front teeth and other highly visible areas. The material’s translucency mimics natural tooth enamel’s light-reflecting properties, creating restorations that blend seamlessly with surrounding teeth. All-ceramic crowns contain no metal, eliminating the dark line at the gum line that sometimes appears with other crown types. While slightly less strong than some alternatives, modern porcelain formulations are remarkably durable and suitable for most applications.

Porcelain-Fused-to-Metal Crowns

These traditional crowns combine a metal base for strength with a porcelain exterior for aesthetics. They’ve been used successfully for decades and offer an excellent balance of durability and appearance. The metal substructure provides exceptional strength, making these crowns suitable for back teeth that endure heavy chewing forces. However, the metal can sometimes show as a dark line near the gum line, and the porcelain layer can chip under extreme stress.

Gold and Metal Alloy Crowns

Gold and metal alloy crowns offer superior strength and longevity, often lasting 20 years or more. They require less tooth reduction during preparation than porcelain crowns, preserving more natural tooth structure. The metal wears at a rate similar to natural tooth enamel, preventing excessive wear on opposing teeth. While their appearance makes them less desirable for visible front teeth, they’re an excellent choice for back molars where strength matters more than aesthetics.

CEREC Crowns

CEREC technology allows Dr. Kim to design, create, and place ceramic crowns in just one visit to our office. Using advanced CAD/CAM technology, a digital impression of your tooth is taken, a crown is designed on a computer, and then milled from a solid block of ceramic material right here in our practice. This eliminates the need for messy impressions, temporary crowns, and multiple appointments. CEREC crowns provide excellent aesthetics and durability while dramatically reducing the time commitment required for crown treatment.

Traditional Crowns vs. CEREC Same-Day Crowns

When it comes to crown treatment at Burien Signature Dentistry, you have two excellent options: traditional lab-fabricated crowns or CEREC same-day crowns. Understanding the differences helps you choose the approach that best fits your needs, schedule, and preferences.

Traditional Crowns

Traditional crowns follow a time-tested process that has served patients successfully for decades. Your tooth is prepared during the first appointment, impressions are taken and sent to a professional dental laboratory, and a temporary crown protects your tooth while skilled lab technicians craft your permanent restoration. You return for a second appointment 2-3 weeks later for placement of your permanent crown.

The advantages of traditional crowns include the expertise of specialized lab technicians who dedicate their careers to creating beautiful, precise restorations. For complex cases involving intricate color matching, unusual shapes, or specific material requirements, the lab environment offers additional flexibility and control. Traditional crowns can be made from any material – porcelain, porcelain-fused-to-metal, or gold alloys – giving you complete freedom in material selection based on your specific needs and preferences.

The main consideration with traditional crowns is the time commitment. You’ll need two appointments separated by a few weeks, and you’ll wear a temporary crown during that interim period. Some patients find temporaries slightly inconvenient, though they’re generally comfortable and functional for normal daily activities.

CEREC Same-Day Crowns

CEREC technology revolutionizes the crown process by allowing Dr. Kim to design, create, and place your crown in just one visit. Using advanced CAD/CAM technology, a digital impression of your tooth is captured, your crown is designed on a computer screen, and then milled from a solid block of high-quality ceramic material right here in our office – all while you wait.

The convenience factor is undeniable. You arrive with a damaged tooth and leave a few hours later with your permanent crown in place, ready to function normally. There are no messy impressions with trays full of impression material, no temporary crown to worry about, and no second appointment to schedule. For busy professionals, parents juggling multiple responsibilities, or anyone who simply prefers to complete treatment in one visit, CEREC crowns offer tremendous practical advantages.

CEREC crowns are made from durable ceramic material that provides excellent aesthetics and strength for most applications. The digital design process allows for precise customization, and you can actually watch your crown being designed and milled if you’re interested in seeing the technology in action. The same-day timeline doesn’t mean compromised quality – CEREC crowns are highly durable and long-lasting when properly cared for.

Which Option Is Right for You?

Dr. Kim helps you evaluate which approach best suits your situation. For straightforward cases involving back teeth or situations where convenience is a priority, CEREC crowns often represent the ideal solution. For front teeth requiring the most precise color matching, complex aesthetic cases, or situations where specific materials like gold are preferred, traditional lab-fabricated crowns might be recommended.

The Crown Procedure Process

Initial Consultation and Planning

Your crown journey begins with a comprehensive examination where Dr. Kim evaluates your tooth’s condition and discusses your goals. Digital X-rays help assess the tooth’s root and surrounding bone structure, ensuring a crown is the appropriate treatment. We’ll explain the entire process, timeline, and answer any questions about your care.

During this visit, we’ll also discuss material options and aesthetic preferences. If you’re replacing a visible front tooth, we’ll carefully match the crown’s color to your surrounding teeth. For back teeth, we might recommend materials that prioritize durability over appearance.

This planning phase ensures you understand why a crown is recommended, what alternatives might exist, and what you can expect throughout treatment. Dr. Kim takes time to address your concerns and answer your questions completely, ensuring you feel confident and informed before moving forward. If cost is a concern, the team discusses financial options upfront so you can make decisions with complete information about both clinical and financial aspects of treatment.

Tooth Preparation

The preparation appointment typically takes 60-90 minutes. After ensuring you’re completely comfortable with local anesthesia, Dr. Kim carefully removes any decay and shapes the tooth to accommodate the crown. This involves reducing the tooth’s size to create space for the crown while preserving as much healthy tooth structure as possible.

The amount of reduction depends on the crown material selected. Porcelain crowns typically require more tooth reduction than metal crowns to accommodate sufficient material thickness for strength and aesthetics. Dr. Kim approaches this step with precision, removing only what’s necessary while maintaining the tooth’s structural integrity and ensuring adequate support for the crown.

Precise impressions are taken to ensure your crown fits perfectly and maintains proper bite alignment. These impressions are sent to our trusted dental laboratory, where skilled technicians create your custom restoration. A temporary crown protects your tooth while your permanent crown is being crafted.

The temporary crown serves multiple purposes during the weeks your permanent crown is being fabricated. It protects the prepared tooth from sensitivity and damage, maintains proper spacing so adjacent teeth don’t shift, and allows you to chew relatively normally while waiting for your final restoration. While you need to be somewhat careful with temporary crowns – avoiding very sticky or hard foods – they’re sufficiently durable for normal daily activities.

Crown Placement

At your second appointment, the temporary crown is removed and the permanent crown is carefully evaluated for fit, color match, and bite alignment. Minor adjustments can be made chairside to ensure perfect comfort and function. Once you and Dr. Kim are satisfied with the result, the crown is permanently bonded to your tooth using advanced dental cement.

This final appointment usually takes less time than the preparation visit, typically 30-60 minutes. Dr. Kim checks multiple aspects of the crown before permanent bonding – the fit at the margins where the crown meets the natural tooth, the contour and shape, the color match with adjacent teeth, and most importantly, how the crown aligns with your bite. Your input during this evaluation is valuable; if anything feels high or uncomfortable, minor adjustments can resolve the issue before permanent bonding.

After bonding, the crown becomes an integral part of your tooth. Most patients find their new crown feels natural almost immediately. Any initial awareness of the restoration typically fades within a few days as you adapt to the new contours. The crown should feel comfortable when biting and chewing, with no sharp edges or high spots that interfere with normal function.

CEREC Same-Day Crown Option

For patients who prefer to complete their crown treatment in a single visit, CEREC technology offers an alternative to the traditional two-appointment process. During one extended appointment, Dr. Kim prepares your tooth, creates a digital impression, designs your crown using computer software, and mills the restoration from a ceramic block – all while you wait comfortably in our office.

The advantages of CEREC crowns extend beyond convenience. You avoid the temporary crown phase entirely, eliminating any concerns about temporary crown dislodgement or sensitivity during the waiting period. There are no messy impressions – just a quick digital scan of your prepared tooth. And you leave with your permanent crown in place, ready to function normally right away. While CEREC crowns work beautifully for many situations, Dr. Kim will discuss whether this option suits your specific needs or whether a traditional lab-fabricated crown would provide better results.

Crown Care and Longevity

With proper care, dental crowns typically last 10-15 years or longer. Regular brushing, flossing, and professional cleanings are essential for maintaining both your crown and the underlying tooth structure. Our dental hygiene education program provides personalized guidance for caring for your restorations.

Avoiding hard foods like ice and popcorn kernels can prevent crown damage. If you grind or clench your teeth, especially at night, nightguards can protect both your crowns and natural teeth from excessive wear.

Regular dental checkups allow Dr. Kim to monitor your crown’s condition and address any issues before they become serious problems. Early detection of potential complications can significantly extend your crown’s lifespan and prevent more extensive treatments.

The longevity of your crown depends largely on how well you care for it and the underlying tooth. While the crown itself can’t decay, the natural tooth structure beneath it remains vulnerable to cavities, particularly at the margin where the crown meets the tooth. Thorough brushing and flossing around crowned teeth prevents decay from developing at these vulnerable junctions. Flossing is especially important – gently sliding floss down between the crown and adjacent tooth, curving it around the tooth base, and pulling it back out rather than snapping it up through the contact point.

Professional cleanings every six months allow your dental hygienist to remove plaque and tartar buildup that home care might miss, particularly around crown margins. During these appointments, Dr. Kim checks your crown’s integrity, looking for any signs of wear, loosening, or problems with the underlying tooth. This proactive monitoring catches small issues before they become serious problems requiring crown replacement or additional treatment.

Habits like grinding or clenching put enormous stress on both natural teeth and dental restorations. If you grind your teeth – a condition called bruxism – a custom night guard protects your crowns from premature wear and potential fracture. The guard cushions the forces that would otherwise be concentrated on your teeth and crowns, dramatically extending their lifespan. Many people grind without realizing it, so if you experience jaw soreness, headaches, or Dr. Kim notices wear patterns on your teeth, a night guard might be recommended even if you weren’t aware of grinding.

Protecting Your Investment: Financial Options for Crown Treatment

We understand that dental crowns represent a significant investment in your oral health. Burien Signature Dentistry accepts all major PPO insurance plans, and our team will help you understand your coverage and maximize your benefits. Most dental insurance plans cover a portion of crown treatment, particularly when medically necessary.

For patients without insurance coverage or those seeking additional financial flexibility, we offer Cherry financing options with 0% APR for qualified applicants. This allows you to receive necessary treatment now while spreading payments over comfortable monthly installments. Our team will work with you to find a payment solution that fits your budget and timeline.

The cost of a crown must be considered in the context of what it prevents. Delaying necessary crown treatment often leads to more extensive problems – a cracked tooth that could have been stabilized with a crown might fracture completely, requiring extraction and then either an implant or bridge to replace the lost tooth. These outcomes are significantly more expensive than the crown that would have prevented them. Investing in a crown when Dr. Kim recommends one protects both your tooth and your long-term dental budget.

The team at Burien Signature Dentistry never wants financial concerns to prevent you from receiving quality dental care. The staff takes time to explain your insurance benefits, help you understand what your plan covers, and present all financial options available. This transparent approach to discussing costs allows you to make informed decisions about your treatment without surprises or confusion about expenses.

The Broader Impact of Healthy Teeth

Saving a tooth with a crown rather than extracting it has implications that extend far beyond that single tooth. Your natural teeth work together as a system – when one is lost, adjacent teeth can shift into the empty space, opposing teeth can over-erupt, and your bite alignment can change in ways that create additional problems. Preserving your natural teeth with crowns when needed maintains this system’s integrity and prevents the cascade of issues that tooth loss can trigger.

Natural teeth also provide crucial stimulation to your jawbone through their roots. This stimulation keeps the bone healthy and prevents the gradual bone loss that occurs after tooth extraction. While dental implants can replace missing teeth effectively, keeping your natural teeth whenever possible remains the ideal outcome. Crowns make it possible to save damaged teeth that would otherwise require extraction, preserving both the tooth and the bone that supports it.

The ability to chew comfortably affects nutrition and quality of life more than many people realize. When teeth are painful or fragile, people unconsciously avoid certain foods, often sacrificing nutritious options that require more chewing effort. Crowns restore full chewing function, allowing you to maintain a varied, healthy diet without pain or worry. This functional restoration contributes to overall health and well-being in ways that extend well beyond oral health alone.

What to Expect During Crown Treatment

Many people delay necessary crown treatment because they’re uncertain about what the process involves or worried it will be painful or time-consuming. Understanding what to expect can alleviate these concerns and help you approach treatment with confidence rather than apprehension.

The preparation appointment is performed under local anesthesia, so you won’t feel pain during the procedure. You’ll feel pressure and vibration from the dental handpiece, but no sharp pain or discomfort. Dr. Kim ensures you’re thoroughly numb before beginning, and he checks in regularly throughout the procedure to confirm you remain comfortable. If you experience dental anxiety, sedation options can help you feel more relaxed during treatment.

After the anesthesia wears off, some sensitivity is normal for a few days. The tooth has been reduced and may feel sensitive to temperature or pressure as it adjusts. This discomfort is typically mild and manageable with over-the-counter pain relievers. If sensitivity persists or worsens rather than improving, contacting the office ensures any issues are addressed promptly.

The temporary crown phase requires some minor adjustments to your routine. You’ll need to be somewhat careful with that tooth – avoiding very sticky foods that might pull the temporary off, and being cautious with hard foods that could damage it. Chewing primarily on the opposite side and being mindful of what you eat helps the temporary crown stay in place and undamaged until your permanent crown is ready.

Once your permanent crown is placed, it should feel natural and allow you to return to completely normal eating and oral hygiene habits. Any initial awareness of the new crown typically fades quickly as you adapt. If the crown feels high or uncomfortable after placement, don’t hesitate to call the office – minor adjustments can resolve these issues quickly and easily.

Restoring Your Smile’s Health and Function

Crown treatment represents more than just fixing a problem tooth – it’s an investment in maintaining your oral health, preserving your natural smile, and ensuring you can eat, speak, and smile with confidence. When Dr. Kim recommends a crown, it’s because he believes it’s the best solution for protecting and preserving your tooth for years to come.

The team at Burien Signature Dentistry is ready to answer your questions, address your concerns, and guide you through the crown treatment process with the care and attention you deserve. Whether you need a crown to protect a tooth after root canal therapy, repair damage from trauma or decay, or improve your smile’s appearance, you’ll receive treatment that combines clinical excellence with genuine compassion. Call us today at (206) 984-2309 or contact us online to schedule your implant consultation.