Dental Crown North Liberty IA

A dental crown can accompany many restorative dental services and serve cosmetic purposes. To restore full function and health to your smile, we can customize your dental crown to ensure it meets your unique dentistry needs.

At Design Dental, Dr. S. Jeremy Tu designs and places all types of dental crowns in our North Liberty, IA dentist office. Whether you have sustained damage due to tooth decay, cavities, or gum disease, our team can work with you to determine if a dental crown is the best solution for your smile.

Dental Crowns in North Liberty, IA

Dental crowns can help restore your smile’s balance, beauty, and function. A well-placed dental crown offers many long-term benefits for your dental health and the appearance of your smile.

  • Natural-looking results: Crowns are designed using quality material that can be color-matched to blend with your existing teeth.
  • Long-lasting, durable solution: Dental crowns will last a long time. We use only the highest quality material to create custom restorations to suit your needs.
  • Restores the health of your teeth: The dentist will place crowns over the area of damage, which helps protect the tooth from further trauma.

When Do I Need a Dental Crown?

When a tooth experiences extensive damage or decay, a dentist will need to address it to sustain the integrity of the tooth. If the extent of the damage requires more than a traditional dental filling, Dr. Tu may recommend a dental crown to restore balance and health to your tooth.

A dental crown will replace the entire surface of the tooth. We will customize your dental crown to meet your aesthetic and functional needs. In many cases, your dental crown is indistinguishable from your natural teeth.

On average, it requires at least two visits to our North Liberty, IA dental office. During the first visit, Dr. Tu prepares your tooth for restoration and creates a temporary crown. This will protect your tooth until the permanent crown is ready. One of our local dental labs will create your custom dental crown.

It will take about a week or two for the dental lab to fabricate the dental crowns. Once they are ready, you will return to Design Dental for your final appointment. Dr. Tu will place your crown and adjust your smile during the last appointment.

Dental Crown Uses

Dental crowns are ideal for many patients because they can treat various restorative and cosmetic dental problems.

Correcting Cosmetic Flaws

When you have discolored teeth, professional teeth whitening is the typical treatment. However, not all stains respond to this treatment. Our dental crowns are tooth-colored and are made to match the shade of the rest of your teeth. They also cover the entire tooth, so no discoloration is visible.

If you have misshapen or disfigured teeth, crowns can be the solution for those, too. Most patients want these teeth taken care of for cosmetic purposes, but they can also impact functionality. Depending on where they are in your mouth, they can make it hard for you to eat or speak properly. We make crowns to match the size and shape of your natural teeth so that they blend in seamlessly with your smile.

Strengthening Your Natural Teeth

One of the most common uses for a dental crown is to stabilize the tooth after a root canal. When we perform a root canal, we remove infected tissue from inside the center of your tooth. Though it’s filled and sealed with a biocompatible material, we want to ensure you retain your tooth’s full use. A crown helps to further seal out future infection and gives you back full function.

Dental bridges use natural teeth on either side of their span to anchor them. This puts a lot of wear and tear on your teeth. Natural anchor teeth wear down faster and are more likely to suffer from tooth decay and other dental problems. We recommend using a dental crown on the anchor teeth to give you more support. Instead of your natural tooth structure taking on the strain of bridge support, the dental crown will do the job.

Treating Severe Damage and Decay

A dental crown is the last resort to save your natural tooth structure. We practice conservative dentistry, meaning we want to save the natural tooth structure as much as possible. Losing the tooth root causes the jawbone in the area to deteriorate, among other problems. A crown can keep fractured pieces of your tooth together, or fill out a section of your tooth that may have decayed.

We may also use crowns as a protective measure. If you aggressively grind or clench your teeth, natural tooth structure wears away quickly. The tooth can become sensitive or painful as the inner layers of your tooth become exposed. Putting a crown over the affected tooth can absorb the force and vibration when you’re grinding your teeth. This way, your tooth is less likely to crack or fracture under the pressure.


Dental Crown FAQs

Crowns are one of the most important tools a dentist has. Learn more by reading the answers to these commonly asked questions.

How long do dental crowns last?

They can last at least 15 years or longer with excellent oral health practices. Their lifetime can depend on the type of materials used and their daily oral health routine. For the most part, you will not have to replace your dental crown unless it is damaged.

Is it painful to have a crown put on your tooth?

No. The procedure includes a local anesthetic. We will numb your mouth so that you do not feel pain during the process. You should not be in pain after the crown is in place and your mouth regains feeling. Contact us if you are in pain after a dental crown procedure.

Can you whiten a dental crown?

No, porcelain crowns can not be whitened with traditional teeth whitening treatments. They can stain over time. However, their level of staining is usually less significant than that of natural teeth.


Schedule a Dental Exam Today

At Design Dental, Dr. Tu and our dental care team are committed to helping our patients restore function and health to their smiles. If you are experiencing tooth damage or dental pain, visit our North Liberty dentist office. During your consultation, we can assess your needs and determine if a dental crown suits you.

We proudly serve patients in North Liberty, Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, and many surrounding communities. To schedule an appointment, call (319) 284-4361 or request an appointment online.