We all want a smile full of healthy teeth, but often our teeth do not quite line up the way we want. At Atlantic Children & Family Dentistry, we are here to restore your child’s confidence in their smile and supply high-quality pediatric dental crowns in Los Angeles, California.
What Are Dental Crowns?
Dental crowns — also called “Teeth caps” — will often cover your child’s damaged, natural teeth to restore that tooth’s appearance and function. A crown will also mask a discolored tooth. Crowns sit over your child’s tooth and improve the shape, alignment, and strength of their teeth.
What Are Dental Crowns Made Of?
When you and our pediatric dentist decide that your child needs a dental crown, the next step is choosing which material would work best. Each option provides different strengths and features:
- Metal: These may be gold, nickel, or chromium. Because of the strong materials used in their construction, they rarely break. Metal crowns are the best option to cover molars, which require more strength, though not everyone likes the way they look.
- Porcelain: Porcelain crowns blend in seamlessly with your child’s existing teeth. However, they are not nearly as strong as other options and may need replacing.
- Porcelain-fused-to-metal (PFM): PFM crowns combine the best of both worlds. A metal core is bonded to a porcelain exterior, providing the structure and stability of metal with a porcelain look. These look great, though there is a chance you may see metal at the tooth’s base.
How Much Are Dental Crowns?
Dental crowns can be expensive, especially when your child needs more than one tooth treated or our pediatric dentist uses different materials. They range anywhere from $800 to $3,000 per tooth. However, many dental insurances are able to help with the cost of the restoration. At our dental practice, we believe that great care should not be barred by cost. We work with you to get your child the care they need.
Caring for Dental Crowns
Proper oral hygiene is essential to caring for crowns. Having your child brush more than once daily and floss will further halt decay or gum disease, much like with natural teeth. Dental crowns last between five to ten years, depending on how well they are taken care of.
It would be best to help your child refrain from chewing ice or hard candies. Doing this will damage their crown and force them into a premature, expensive and possibly painful replacement.
A Smile You Can Be Proud Of
Call Atlantic Children & Family Dentistry today at 323-263-9600 to make an appointment with Dr. Jung Yoon Chang or Dr. Quy-Phung Phan and learn more about dental crowns!