When is it necessary to get a crown?

This site should explain it all for you.

Patient Education Menu

Scroll down to the Crown and Bridge link.

Crown is an artificial structure that resembels your original tooth,and functions almost like it... its generally placed after root canal treatment or if the tooth gets fractured... mostly come in two materials... 1... pfm that is porceline fused to metal... which matches your original tooth and... 2... metal... which have a colour like that of a metal... pfm cost double then metal one...

How much is a porcelin crown?

The price of a dental crown procedure can vary by region, dentist, type of crown and other factors. To give an estimated range, the average cost of a dental crown can range from $600 to $3,100 per tooth. Porcelain crowns are typically more expensive because they are more aesthetically pleasing, and they require more skill and time from the dental laboratory to create them. In addition, the cost of dental crown procedures also depends on the number of times a patient visits the dentist’s office for treatment.

In my 27 years of dentistry I have never heard of a crown costing $3,100!

A full gold crown usually costs less than a porcelain fused to metal. The full gold is stronger, healthier for the mouth and less tooth structure has to be removed in order to place it.

The type of crown you get should obviously be determined by where it will be located in your mouth. You don't want gold showing when you talk or smile (I'm guessing that you wouldn't) If the crown is a molar (near the back) yet you can still see the tooth when you smile your dentist can have the lab fabricate the crown with porcelain on the cheek surface only and the rest of the crown gold. That way you get both the strength and the aesthetics.

Crowns usually take 2 visits. The first visit is for prepping the tooth, taking an impression to be sent to the lab and then fabricating and cementing a temporary crown. At the second visit they will remove the temp and cement the permanent crown if the colour and fit is right.

There should not be any additional charges if there are problems with the fit or colour as it's usually caused by a problem with the impression the dentist took, his choice of shade for the porcelain or the lab. You should NOT have to pay for any extra visits pertaining to the fabrication of the crown.

If you are leaning toward a gold (metal) please be sure it's gold and not cheaper material as these will play havoc on your gum tissues.