Dental Crowns in Framingham, MA

A dental crown rebuilds a tooth that has lost too much of its own structure to hold up on its own. At Cochituate Smile Center in Framingham, MA, we make crowns in all-porcelain, all-ceramic and zirconia. Each one is shaded to match your other teeth and made by a dental laboratory to fit the tooth we prepare. Most crowns take two appointments. Book a visit or call (508) 875-1060 if a tooth has been bothering you.

When Is a Dental Crown the Right Repair?

A crown covers the entire part of the tooth above the gum. That full coverage is what makes it different from a filling, which only replaces the part that was lost. When the walls of a tooth are thin or cracked, a filling leaves them exposed to every bite. A crown braces them from the outside so they stop flexing.

We usually talk about a crown when an exam shows one of these situations:

• The filling would be bigger than the tooth around it. Once most of the chewing surface is filling material, the remaining tooth tends to fracture around it.
• A back tooth has had root canal treatment. After root canal treatment, a molar or premolar is more brittle, and a crown is the standard way to protect it.
• A tooth is cracked but still savable. If the crack has not split the root, covering the tooth can keep it together.
• A dental implant needs its visible tooth. A single dental implant is finished with a custom crown.
• A gap is being closed with a bridge. A traditional bridge is held by crowns on the teeth on either side of the space.

If the damage is small, we will say so. A crown removes more natural tooth than a filling or bonding does, so it should be chosen because the tooth needs it, not because it is the default.

Where Does a Crown Fit in Your Treatment Plan?

Crowns rarely stand alone. They are often the last step of another treatment, and knowing which one helps you plan time and cost.

Which Crown Material Is Best for Your Tooth?

All three materials we offer are metal-free and can be shaded to blend with your natural teeth. The real decision is about where the tooth sits and how much force it takes when you chew.

All-porcelain crowns for front teeth

Porcelain has a translucency and luster close to natural enamel. That is why it is the usual choice for an incisor or canine that shows when you talk and smile. It is strong for everyday use, though it is not always the first choice for a molar that does heavy grinding work.

All-ceramic crowns for front or back teeth

All-ceramic covers a family of high-strength dental ceramics. Newer ceramics are tough enough for back teeth while still looking natural, so this group gives us room to match the material to the tooth. We will tell you which ceramic we are recommending and why.

Zirconia crowns for molars and heavy biters

Zirconia is the strongest of the three. It handles the bite forces on molars and is a good fit for people who clench or grind. Some types of zirconia are more translucent and can be used toward the front; more opaque types trade a little appearance for extra strength at the back.

If you are planning to whiten your teeth, mention it before your crown is made. Crown materials do not respond to whitening gel, so it makes sense to finish any teeth whitening first and match the crown to your new shade afterward.

What Happens at Your Crown Appointments?

Your crown is made by a dental laboratory to our specifications for material, shade and fit, so the process is spread over two visits.

1. Exam and plan. We look at the tooth, take X-rays where needed, and explain why a crown is the right repair and which material we suggest. You will know what the tooth needs before anything is prepared.
2. Preparing the tooth. The area is numbed. Decay and weak old filling material are removed, and the tooth is shaped so the crown can sit over it.
3. Impression and shade. We take a precise impression, traditional or digital, and record the shade of the neighboring teeth. The impression goes to the lab.
4. Temporary crown. A temporary crown protects the prepared tooth while the permanent one is made, which usually takes a few weeks.
5. Fitting the permanent crown. At the second visit we remove the temporary and try in the new crown. We check how it meets your bite and the teeth beside it, adjust it, and cement it in place.

Expect the gum around the tooth to feel a little tender for a few days. If your bite feels high once the numbness wears off, call us; a quick adjustment usually solves it.

How Do You Make a Crown Last?

The crown itself cannot decay, but the tooth underneath can, and the weak point is the edge where crown meets tooth. Most of what makes a crown last happens at home and at your regular checkups.

• Clean the margin. Brush along the gum line around the crown and floss there every day.
• Keep your cleanings. Routine exams and professional cleanings let us spot decay or gum changes at the crown edge early.
• Protect it from grinding. If you clench or grind at night, ask about a custom night guard.
• Treat the temporary gently. Chew on the other side, skip sticky foods, and call us if it comes loose so the prepared tooth is not left uncovered.

What Does a Dental Crown Cost, and Does Insurance Help?

The fee depends on the tooth, the material and whether the tooth needs other work first, such as a root canal or a core build-up. We go over the cost with you before treatment starts so there are no surprises.

We accept a range of dental insurance plans, including Aetna, Blue Cross, Cigna, Delta and Guardian, and we also accept MassHealth. Our insurance coordinator can help you understand your benefits. We take Visa, AMEX, MasterCard and Discover and offer military discounts; see insurance and financing for details. Patients without insurance can look at our dental membership plan, which takes 15% off additional dental treatment. The plan does not cover lab fees, so ask how the discount applies to your crown. Our special offers are worth a look too.

Who Will Be Working on Your Tooth?

Our practice is a husband-and-wife team offering general dentistry and orthodontics under one roof on Cochituate Road in Framingham. Dr. Mirian Belussi-Campos is a general dentist whose work centers on dental implants and aesthetic dentistry. She holds a fellowship in Implant Dentistry from Tufts University and is a faculty member in its Department of Operative Dentistry. Restorative technique is part of what she teaches as well as what she practices.

We keep visits low-pressure and explain options rather than push them, and our team speaks English, Spanish and Portuguese.

Dental Crown FAQs

How long does a dental crown last?

There is no fixed number. A crown's lifespan depends mostly on the health of the tooth and gum underneath it and on how much force your bite puts on it. When a crown does need replacing, the usual reasons are new decay at the edge, wear, or a crack from heavy biting.

Is a zirconia crown better than a ceramic crown?

Not always. Zirconia is stronger and suits molars and people who grind. Porcelain and other ceramics often look more natural on front teeth. We recommend the material for the specific tooth, and you are welcome to ask about the trade-off.

What should I do if my crown falls off?

Keep the crown, avoid chewing on that side and call us. A lost crown that leaves the tooth sensitive or exposed should be seen promptly, and in many cases the tooth or crown can be restored.

Do I need a crown or a veneer?

A crown restores strength to a weakened or broken tooth. A veneer is a thin shell bonded to the front of a healthy tooth to change how it looks. If the tooth is sound and the concern is cosmetic, dental veneers or bonding may be enough.

Schedule Your Crown Visit in Framingham

Maybe you have a cracked tooth, a filling that keeps breaking or a tooth that needs protecting after a root canal. We can tell you honestly whether a crown is the right repair and which material fits. Book a visit online or call (508) 875-1060. Our office is at 254 Cochituate Rd, Framingham, MA 01701.