Dental crowns have been around for millennia and are still used to restore smiles today. Ancient dentists used ivory, bone, and seashells to make crowns for teeth. Evidence of gold crowns dates from 200 A.D. Porcelain crowns appeared in the 1800s. With the advancement of metal casting techniques in the 1900s, crown technology took a big leap forward.

A dental crown procedure includes:

Tooth Preparation
Your dentist will anesthetize the tooth to be crowned and then prepare it. All decay is removed and the tooth is shaped. Usually, the dentist files off tooth structure to reduce the size and create the proper shape. Sometimes, the tooth is too small to begin with; in that case, the dentist builds up the core of the tooth with filling material to construct a strong base for the crown. All-metal crowns – as opposed to porcelain crowns – have thinner sides, requiring less removal of tooth structure.

Creating a Good Impression
The dentist will use a putty-like substance to make an impression of the tooth and surrounding teeth. An impression will also be made of the teeth that oppose the crown. This ensures that the crown does not adversely affect the bite.

The Temporary Crown
A temporary crown is used to guard the tooth and be sure it doesn’t move in the mouth while the permanent crown is being fabricated. Patient need to be careful with their temporary crown. It is not as strong as the permanent crown and is attached only with temporary cement. Avoid chewing gum and eating sticky foods. Be aware that the tooth may be sensitive to hot and cold.

Choosing a Color
If the new crown will be created with porcelain, you and your dentist will use a shade guide to elect a shade for the restoration. Most people don’t have teeth that are exactly the same color. You will need to ascertain the most appropriate shade to blend in with the surrounding teeth.

The Lab Team Works Its Magic
The dentist or a laboratory technician then uses the model to form the crown. Some dentists have the equipment needed to manufacture crowns right in their office. Same day restorations are created with a machine that mills a crown from a small block of ceramic in the correct shade.

Your Crown Is Put In Place
When the new crown is ready, your dentist places it in your mouth and makes any needed adjustment to realize a great fit. This process shouldn’t be rushed. Sometimes less than a millimeter of drilling can make the difference between an ill-fitting crown that makes irregular contact with the opposing teeth and a crown that is accurately fitted.

I’m Dr. Gordon West. My practice, Gordon West DDS – Aesthetic & General Dentistry, offers dental crowns, teeth whitening, sedation dentistry, Invisalign clear braces, and prepless veneers.

Contact Gordon West DDS – Aesthetic & General Dentistry: 720-862-3630

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

1140 W South Boulder Rd Ste 201
Lafayette, Colorado
80026

Preparing to pay for critical dental work can be a daunting undertaking. The good news is that the cost may be far less than you anticipate. Knowing your needs is crucial to planning your budget for dental work.

Trying to Compare
Comparing the price of a dental crown for molars versus the price of a dental crown for smaller teeth or versus a root canal or double root canal can be difficult to extract from many dental facilities in and around Lafayette, Colorado. Get the current pricing and understand the role insurance will play in the out-of-pocket-expense for your dental visit by calling Gordon West DDS, Cosmetic & General Dentistry at 720-862-3630 at your convenience. Our understanding staff can explain pricing and schedule initial consultation appointments.

Identify Affordable Quality

Gordon West DDS has been here at 1140 W South Boulder Rd, Ste 201 in Lafayette since 1998. While procedure fees can fluctuate up and down depending on the price of supplies, equipment, and staffing overhead, Dr. West works very hard to maintain affordable, quality care for our unique community in three ways:

1. Through state-of-the-art training and up-to-date education for key staff members.
2. Through precision work and personal dental care for each and every patient.
3. Through business management best practices to keep costs down.

The Responsible Investment
Take the responsible step for your comfort, health and confidence. Don’t be afraid to schedule work for dental crowns, teeth whitening, sedation dentistry, Invisalign clear braces, or prepless veneers. We want you to be confident that affordable, quality dental care is easy and accessible. We want you to understand the importance of immediate care rather than putting it off until it gets worse. Review our website at https://www.bouldercountysmiles.com/services/ and build that confidence. We want you to be confident in our office’s commitment to you.

Preparing to pay for critical dental work can be a daunting undertaking. The good news is that the cost may be far less than you anticipate. Knowing your needs is crucial to planning your budget for dental work.

Trying to Compare
Comparing the price of a dental crown for molars versus the price of a dental crown for smaller teeth or versus a root canal or double root canal can be difficult to extract from many dental facilities in and around Lafayette, Colorado. Get the current pricing and understand the role insurance will play in the out-of-pocket-expense for your dental visit by calling Gordon West DDS, Cosmetic & General Dentistry at 720-862-3630 at your convenience. Our understanding staff can explain pricing and schedule initial consultation appointments.

Identify Affordable Quality

Gordon West DDS has been here at 1140 W South Boulder Rd, Ste 201 in Lafayette since 1998. While procedure fees can fluctuate up and down depending on the price of supplies, equipment, and staffing overhead, Dr. West works very hard to maintain affordable, quality care for our unique community in three ways:

1. Through state-of-the-art training and up-to-date education for key staff members.
2. Through precision work and personal dental care for each and every patient.
3. Through business management best practices to keep costs down.

The Responsible Investment
Take the responsible step for your comfort, health and confidence. Don’t be afraid to schedule work for dental crowns, teeth whitening, sedation dentistry, Invisalign clear braces, or prepless veneers. We want you to be confident that affordable, quality dental care is easy and accessible. We want you to understand the importance of immediate care rather than putting it off until it gets worse. Review our website at https://www.bouldercountysmiles.com/services/ and build that confidence. We want you to be confident in our office’s commitment to you.

Hello Colorado, let’s talk about the root canal procedure (“endodontic therapy” in dentist – speak). The root canal may the most cringe-worthy dental treatment commonly done today, but it is important that dental patients in the Boulder, Boulder County, and Lafayette, CO areas know what is happening during this anxiety – inducing, though routine, procedure.

At the center of each tooth is a very small tissue called the pulp. This thread-like tissue can become damaged due to a:

An injury to a tooth
A very deep cavity
A crack in the tooth

If this tissue becomes damaged or infected, it can build up at the root tip inside the jawbone and form an abscess. If left untreated, this can actually destroy the bone around the tooth and cause serious discomfort.

When an endodontist, oral surgeon, or general dentist in Boulder or Lafayette performs a root canal, the dead or diseased pulp is taken out, the space that is left is cleaned and then it is shaped and filled. This eliminates the need for a diseased tooth to be pulled and continued cosmetic dentistry to fill in the gap.

Hi. I’m Dr. Gordon West of Gordon West DDS, Cosmetic & General Dentistry in Lafayette. I hope that today’s Boulder dental blog post has helped you to better understand root canals. I want my patients to have the best oral health possible and accurate dental information. I also want them to look their best, so if you have any questions about a smile makeover, dental implants, or teeth whitening, please give us a call at 720-862-3630.

At Gordon West DDS, Cosmetic & General Dentistry we offer:

porcelain veneers
dental implants
prepless veneers
dental crowns

We hope to hear from you soon!

Dr. Gordon West
Gordon West DDS, Cosmetic & General Dentistry
1140 W South Boulder Rd, Ste 201
Lafayette, Colorado
720-862-3630
https://www.bouldercountysmiles.com/services/