Dental crowns in Irving, TX

When you need a dental crown

A dental crown is a custom cap that covers the entire visible part of a tooth. It holds a weakened tooth together, protects it from breaking and restores its shape and color. At our Irving office, Dr. Carl Prince focuses on aesthetic dentistry, especially crown and bridge work.

You may need a crown when:

• A tooth is cracked, or a cusp has broken off
• A cavity or old filling takes up a large part of the tooth
• A back tooth has had a root canal
• Teeth are worn down from grinding
• A tooth is badly discolored or misshapen
• You're replacing a missing tooth with an implant or a bridge

Not every damaged tooth needs a crown. If a filling will hold up, we'll tell you.

Signs you might need dental crowns

• A cracked or broken tooth
• Pain when you bite down or release
• A large, old filling that's failing
• A back tooth that's had a root canal
• Teeth worn short from grinding
• A badly discolored or misshapen tooth

Crown materials: what's right for your tooth

The best material depends on where the tooth is, how hard you bite and how much the tooth shows when you smile.

For children, a stainless steel crown covers a baby molar with a large cavity and protects it until it falls out naturally — often a better option than a big filling that may not last.

Digital impressions and your temporary crown

Instead of a tray of putty, we take digital impressions with a small scanner. It's quicker, easier if you have a strong gag reflex, and gives the lab an accurate 3D model of your tooth and bite. The lab typically takes about two weeks to make your crown.

In the meantime, you wear a temporary crown. It's held on with lighter cement on purpose so it comes off easily later, which means it needs some care:

• Chew mostly on the other side, and avoid sticky foods like caramel and gum.
• Skip very hard foods like nuts, ice and hard candy.
• When flossing, slide the floss out sideways instead of pulling it up.
• If the temporary comes off, keep it and call us. Don't leave the tooth uncovered for long — it can shift or become sensitive.

Crowns after a root canal

After a root canal, back teeth — molars and premolars — usually need a crown. Those teeth take most of your chewing force, and a tooth that's had a root canal has often lost a lot of structure to decay and the treatment itself. Without a crown, it's at higher risk of cracking, sometimes beyond repair.

We generally recommend placing the crown within a few weeks of the root canal. Front teeth, which handle less force, sometimes only need a filling. If you're weighing whether to save a tooth at all, our guide to root canal vs. extraction walks through the costs and trade-offs.

How long crowns last and how to protect yours

Crowns commonly last 10 to 15 years, and many last longer. The crown itself can't get a cavity, but the tooth underneath can — especially at the edge where crown meets tooth near the gum line. Grinding, chewing ice and gum disease also shorten a crown's life.

• Brush along the gum line twice a day and floss daily.
• Keep up with regular cleanings so we can check the edges of the crown.
• Protect your teeth at night if you grind.
• Don't use your teeth to open packages or bite hard objects.

Let us know if a crown feels loose, you notice a dark line or bad taste at the gum, or it hurts to bite. Those problems are easier to fix early.

What to expect, step by step

1. Exam and x-rays

   We check the tooth, the nerve and the surrounding bone, and explain whether a crown is the right fix.

2. Numb and shape

   After thorough numbing, we remove any decay and shape the tooth so the crown fits over it.

3. Digital impressions and shade

   A quick scan replaces messy trays, and we pick a shade that matches the teeth beside it.

4. Temporary crown

   A temporary crown protects the tooth for about two weeks while the lab makes your permanent one.

5. Fit and cement

   We check fit, color and bite before cementing the permanent crown, then make small adjustments so it feels natural.

Cost, insurance & financing

In the Dallas–Fort Worth area, a dental crown typically ranges from about $1,000 to $2,500 per tooth without insurance. Stainless steel crowns for children's baby teeth cost much less. Many PPO plans treat crowns as a major service and cover part of the cost — often around half after your deductible — but plans vary, and some have waiting periods.

Your exact cost depends on the material, whether the tooth needs a core buildup or root canal first, and your coverage. We give you a written estimate before treatment. Texas Medicaid and CHIP cover children 18 and under, and financing through Cherry, Affirm and CareCredit is available, subject to credit approval. See insurance and financing.