What are permanent crowns made of?

Permanent crowns are made from ceramic materials, often referred to as porcelain. These materials are designed to provide strength and a natural appearance.

How long do crowns last?

With proper oral hygiene and regular dental visits, crowns can last many years. Longevity depends on bite forces, oral habits, and overall dental health.

Can a crowned tooth still get a cavity?

Yes. While the crown itself cannot decay, the natural tooth underneath can still develop decay at the margins if oral hygiene is neglected.

Can a crown fall off?

Crowns are securely bonded or cemented in place. However, like any dental restoration, they can loosen over time or if excessive force is applied. If this happens, contact our office promptly.

Does dental insurance cover crowns?

Many dental insurance plans provide coverage for crowns when they are medically necessary. Coverage varies by plan, and our team can help review your benefits prior to treatment.

What is a dental crown?

A dental crown is a custom-made restoration that fully covers a damaged tooth to restore its strength, shape, and function.

How do I know if I need a crown instead of a filling?

If too much of the tooth is weakened or missing, a filling may not be strong enough to last. In those cases, a crown provides full coverage and better long-term protection.

What is a temporary crown?

A temporary crown protects your tooth between visits while your permanent crown is being made. It maintains comfort and normal function.

Dental Crowns

Restoring Strength, Protection, and Natural Appearance

Comprehensive Tooth Repair

When a tooth has been significantly weakened by decay, fracture, or previous dental work, a dental crown provides full-coverage protection that restores strength, shape, and function. Crowns are designed to reinforce compromised teeth while blending naturally with the rest of your smile.

At Galligan Family Dentistry, our approach to crowns is conservative and precise. We carefully evaluate the condition of the tooth, your bite, and the surrounding teeth to ensure a durable, comfortable result that supports long-term oral health.

When Is a Crown Needed?

A crown is recommended when a tooth no longer has enough healthy structure to reliably support a dental filling. Crowns protect the remaining tooth structure, restore stable chewing, and help the tooth function comfortably with the teeth around it.

Crowns may be recommended when:

A cavity is too large for a filling to provide lasting strength
A tooth is cracked or fractured
A tooth has undergone multiple previous repairs
A tooth has been treated with root canal therapy
A tooth serves as support for a bridge or implant restoration

In addition to restoring function, crowns can improve the appearance of a severely discolored, worn, or misshapen tooth when structural reinforcement is also necessary.

The Materials We Use

We use materials designed to provide strength, fit, and a natural appearance. Crowns also involve a temporary phase, where the tooth is protected while the final crown is being made.

Temporary Crowns

Temporary crowns are short-term restorations designed to protect the tooth between appointments and maintain comfort and function.

Temporary crowns commonly utilize:

Acrylic-based resins
Composite resins (including bis-acryl), often chosen for strength and esthetics

Permanent Crowns

Permanent crowns are designed for long-term strength and natural appearance. In dentistry, the terms porcelain and ceramic are often used interchangeably and refer to the same category of durable tooth-colored materials.

Ceramic (porcelain) crowns can be selected to match the needs of the tooth, including appearance and the demands of chewing.

How We Choose the Right Restoration

When a tooth is damaged, the decision is typically between a filling, a crown, or replacing the tooth altogether.

If the damage is small, a filling can restore the tooth. When a larger portion of the tooth is weakened but there is still enough healthy structure remaining, a crown is used to cover and protect it. If the tooth is too severely damaged to support a crown, removal and tooth replacement, such as a dental implant, may be necessary.

Our goal is always to preserve your natural tooth whenever possible and recommend the option that provides the most stable, long-term result.

What to Expect During Treatment

Receiving a crown typically involves at least two visits to our office.

At the first visit, the tooth is carefully shaped to support the crown while preserving as much healthy structure as possible. Impressions are taken for fabrication of the final crown, and a temporary crown is placed to protect the tooth until your next appointment.

At the second visit, the permanent crown is evaluated for fit, color, and bite alignment before being securely placed. The goal is a restoration that feels natural and supports comfortable chewing.

Aftercare and Longevity

Crowns are designed to function like natural teeth. With consistent brushing, flossing, and routine dental visits, crowns can provide long-term strength and stability.

During regular exams, we monitor both the crown and the surrounding tooth structure to ensure continued integrity.

If grinding or clenching contributed to the original damage, protective strategies such as a night guard may be recommended to reduce stress on the restoration.

Frequently Asked Questions About Dental Crowns

Most crowns are completed over two visits. The first appointment typically takes about 60 to 90 minutes, during which the tooth is prepared and a temporary crown is placed. The second visit is shorter, usually around 30 minutes, when the permanent crown is seated.

If a root canal is needed before the crown is placed, that appointment with a specialist is scheduled between the two visits and generally takes 30 to 90 minutes, depending on the tooth.

No. The procedure is performed under local anesthesia to keep you comfortable throughout the appointment. Whenever appropriate, we use the Wand Single Tooth Anesthesia System, a computer-assisted device that delivers anesthetic slowly and precisely to numb just the tooth being treated. This allows for a more controlled, comfortable experience and often avoids the heavy, lingering numbness many people associate with traditional dental injections.

If you have additional questions about dental crowns or would like to schedule an exam, our team is here to help. Early evaluation is the best way to protect your natural teeth and keep treatment straightforward.

Crowns as Part of a Comprehensive Plan

Sometimes a crown is the final step after other necessary treatment. For example, if you are referred to a specialist for root canal therapy, you will return to our office afterward so we can place the crown and restore strength and protection to the treated tooth.

Crowns are also used as part of bridges and implant restorations to complete tooth replacement and restore full function.

Our goal is always to provide durable, well-planned solutions that preserve natural teeth whenever possible and restore strength when needed.

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PATIENT INFORMATION

Location

Galligan Family Dentistry
11420 Falls of Neuse Rd
Raleigh, NC 27614

Contact

Phone: (919) 977-1870
Fax: (919) 977-1872
Email: info@galliganfamilydentistry.com

Phone: (919) 977-1870
Fax: (919) 977-1872
Email: Click To Email

Hours

Monday: 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday: 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday: 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday: 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday: Closed
Saturday: Closed
Sunday: Closed

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