Mint Hill Smiles

Dentist in Mint Hill, NC

Dental Crowns AT Mint Hill Smiles - Same Day Crowns in Mint Hill, NC

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Crowns · Mint Hill, NC

Finding out you need a crown is the kind of dental news that makes most people pause

It sounds significant. It sounds expensive. It sounds like a lot of appointments and a lot of time in the chair. We want to take a few minutes to walk you through what a crown actually is, why you might need one, and what getting one looks like at Mint Hill Smiles because we do crowns differently than most practices, and we think that matters.
The Reality

What a Crown Is and Why You Might Need One

A crown is a custom-made covering that fits over your entire tooth, from the gumline up. Think of it as a protective cap. It restores the tooth to its original shape, size, and function while protecting what is left of the natural tooth structure underneath.

There are several reasons a crown might be the right treatment for your tooth. A cavity that has grown too large for a filling to repair is one of the most common. A cracked or fractured tooth is another. Depending on where the crack is and how far it goes, a crown may be the only way to hold the tooth together and prevent it from splitting. Teeth that have had root canal therapy are typically crowned afterward because the treatment leaves the tooth more brittle and vulnerable to fracture. And teeth that are badly worn down from grinding, or teeth with old large fillings that are starting to fail, are also strong candidates for a crown.

When we recommend a crown, it is because we have looked at the tooth carefully and determined that a smaller restoration, such as a filling, is not going to give it the protection it needs. We do not recommend crowns lightly.

What Makes Mint Hill Smiles Different - Same Day Crowns

This is where things get interesting.

At most dental practices, getting a crown is a two appointment process spread over two to three weeks. At your first appointment your tooth gets prepared, an impression is taken using that thick goopy material that sits in a tray and makes most people gag, a temporary crown is placed, and then you wait while a dental lab makes your permanent crown somewhere off-site. Then you come back weeks later to have the temporary removed and the permanent crown placed.

At Mint Hill Smiles we complete the entire process in a single visit whenever possible.

We use an intraoral scanner to take a precise digital scan of your tooth. The scanner is a small wand that passes over your teeth and creates a detailed three-dimensional model of your mouth in minutes. No impression material, no gagging, no holding still while something sets. The digital scan is sent directly to our in-house milling machine, which mills your custom porcelain crown right here in our office while you wait.

You come in with a broken or damaged tooth and you leave the same day with a permanent, custom-fitted porcelain crown. That means you don’t have to deal with a temporary crown that might fall off between appointments, make a second trip two weeks later, or coordinate your schedule around a lab turnaround time.

We have been offering same day crowns for years and the reaction from patients is almost always the same: they cannot believe it is real until they experience it.

I love being able to provide a same-day crown when someone breaks a tooth the day before they are leaving for vacation or around the end of the year when people are trying to use their insurance benefits before they expire. It is such an amazing service to provide and I truly believe that I am able to give them a higher quality of care. 

The Fitting

Where the Skill Actually Lives

We want to be transparent about something because we think it builds trust. Milling the crown is impressive technology, but the clinical skill in a crown appointment is not in the milling. It is in how the crown is prepared and fitted.

Preparing your tooth correctly by shaping it so the crown sits flush, protects the margins, and gives your bite the right relationship with the surrounding teeth requires a careful eye and significant clinical experience. Then when the crown comes off the mill, we adjust it precisely to fit your specific bite before we permanently cement it. The way your jaw closes, the way your teeth come together on both sides, the angle at which you chew are all factors that play into how we seat and finalize your crown.

A crown that is not fitted correctly can cause bite pain, sensitivity, and problems with the jaw joint over time. Getting it right at the appointment is something we take seriously, and it is worth knowing that the technology speeds up the process without cutting corners on the clinical work.

What Happens If You Wait

We understand that crown recommendations sometimes get put on the back burner. When your tooth is not hurting, life is busy, and the cost feels like a lot to commit to right now, it’s easy to put it off.

Here is what we see happen when patients wait on a crown they need. A tooth that is cracked but manageable can split further, sometimes to the point where it is no longer fixable. A tooth with a large failing filling that needs a crown can develop decay underneath the old filling in the meantime. A tooth that needs a crown after a root canal is significantly more vulnerable to breaking and a fractured tooth after a root canal often cannot be saved at all.

We are not telling you this to pressure you into anything. We tell every patient the full picture so they can make an informed decision about their own care. If cost or timing is a barrier, talk to us. We have financing options and our Brush365 membership plan includes a 15% discount on crown treatment for patients without insurance.

Unfortunately, I can think of a few patients off hand that waited too long to get a crown I had recommended. Sometimes that means an emergency toothache that needs to be treated with a root canal and other times our only option becomes taking out the tooth and talking replacement options. I hate having to tell someone that I can’t save their tooth.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions About Crowns

The preparation appointment involves numbing the tooth completely before we do any work, so you should not feel pain during the procedure. Some patients experience sensitivity in the days following a crown appointment as the tooth and surrounding tissue settle, which is normal. We give you clear post-op instructions before you leave and we are always available if something does not feel right.

A well-made, well-fitted crown that is cared for properly can last many years. How long depends on several factors including where the crown is located, how much chewing stress it takes on, and your home care routine. Crowns on back molars take more wear than crowns on front teeth. Coming in every six months for your regular cleaning allows us to check your crown and catch any early signs of wear or issues at the margins.

Most dental insurance plans cover a portion of crown treatment, though coverage varies significantly by plan. Our team verifies your benefits before your appointment and walks you through the expected cost so you know what to expect before you commit to anything. If you have questions about how your specific plan handles crown coverage, call us and we will help you figure it out.

A filling restores a portion of a tooth. A crown restores the entire visible surface of the tooth. When a cavity or fracture is too large for a filling to adequately support and protect the remaining tooth structure, a crown is the better long-term solution. Your dentist will explain which option is appropriate for your tooth and why.

Yes. Once your crown is permanently cemented you can eat normally. In the day or two immediately following the appointment we suggest avoiding very hard or sticky foods while the tooth is settling, but that window is brief.

Ready to Get Started?

If you have been told you need a crown, or if you have a tooth that has been bothering you and you suspect something is going on, the best next step is to come in and let us take a look.

We serve patients from Mint Hill, Matthews, Indian Trail, Stallings, Weddington, Midland, Albemarle, and southeast Charlotte, NC. We accept most major insurance plans including Delta Dental, Aetna, Cigna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and United Healthcare. We also offer Brush365 for patients without insurance and flexible financing options for larger treatment.

Call (704) 323-7577 or visit minthillsmiles.dentist to schedule. We are at 11300 Cresthill Drive, Suite 105, Mint Hill, NC 28227.

One visit. One crown. Done.

Book your appointment today