Dental Crowns
Living with a cracked, worn, or severely decayed tooth can make simple everyday activities like chewing your favorite foods uncomfortable. Left untreated, a compromised tooth can break further, leading to severe pain or even tooth loss. Fortunately, dental crowns offer a proven, durable, and aesthetically pleasing way to protect your tooth and restore your smile to full strength.
At Michael Barnard DDS PA, we specialize in crafting custom dental crowns that look and function just like natural teeth. Led by Dr. Michael Barnard, who brings over 40 years of clinical experience to South Florida, our Fort Lauderdale team provides compassionate, top-tier restorative care. With our advanced techniques and state-of-the-art facility, getting a dental crown is smooth, efficient, and comfortable.
What Is a Dental Crown?
A dental crown is a custom-fitted restoration, often referred to as a cap, that encases the entire visible portion of a damaged tooth above the gumline. By covering the entire tooth, a crown restores its original shape, size, strength, and visual appearance.
Dental crowns are versatile restorations frequently used in several situations:
- Repairing broken, severely fractured, or cracked teeth
- Supporting and protecting teeth weakened by extensive decay
- Restoring a tooth after root canal therapy
- Replacing old, failing, or oversized fillings that threaten tooth structure
- Covering deeply discolored or misshapen teeth for cosmetic improvement
- Serving as the final visible tooth top on a dental implant
Dental Crowns vs. Alternative Restorations: Choosing the Right Solution
Understanding your treatment options helps you feel confident in your dental decisions. The comparative matrix below highlights how full-coverage dental crowns compare directly with other common tooth restoration procedures:
| Feature / Consideration | Custom Dental Crowns | Composite Dental Fillings | Dental Inlays & Onlays |
| Coverage Area | Encloses 100% of the visible tooth above the gums | Fills small to medium isolated cavity areas | Restores moderate damage on biting surfaces or cusps |
| Structural Support | Maximum protection, reinforcing weak or broken teeth | Moderate support, best for minor structural loss | Strong support, preserves healthy surrounding enamel |
| Ideal For | Major decay, cracked teeth, or post-root canal care | Minor to moderate cavities and small chips | Moderate damage too large for fillings, too small for crowns |
| Stain Resistance | High resistance with premium porcelain materials | Moderate resistance, can absorb stains over time | High resistance with custom ceramic materials |
| Expected Lifespan | 10 to 15+ years with proper home care | 5 to 7 years | 10 to 12 years |
Our Step-by-Step Dental Crown Process
We keep our crown procedure simple, precise, and virtually stress-free. Here is what you can expect during your visit:
1. Thorough Evaluation and Preparation
Your doctor carefully examines the affected tooth, takes digital X-rays to assess the root structure, and gently numbs the area. We reshape the outer layer of the tooth to create space for a custom-fitted crown to fit securely over it.
2. High-Precision Digital Impressions
Instead of messy traditional impression trays, we use modern digital scans to capture exact measurements of your prepared tooth and surrounding bite alignment.
3. Custom Fabrication
Your digital scans are used to design a durable crown that matches the exact shade, translucency, and shape of your surrounding teeth so it blends into your smile seamlessly.
4. Final Fitting and Bonding
Once your crown is ready, we place it over your tooth to check for perfect fit, comfortable contact points, and natural bite alignment. After any necessary micro-adjustments are made, the crown is permanently cemented into place.
The On-Site Lab Advantage: Faster Turnaround and Same-Day Repairs
The primary reason patients across Broward County choose Michael Barnard DDS PA for crown work is our in-house dental laboratory.
Most standard dental offices must send digital files or molds to third-party commercial labs located out of state. This forces patients to wear temporary crowns for weeks while waiting for shipping, leaving teeth vulnerable to sensitivity or dislodgement.
Why Our On-Site Lab Elevates Your Restorative Care:
Having an in-house lab allows our clinical team to maintain total control over your crown fabrication from start to finish.
- Same-Day Repairs: If you crack an existing crown or break a restoration in an accident, our on-site lab enables us to offer rapid, same-day repair services to get you out of pain immediately.
- Faster Turnaround Times: Because we do not rely on outside mail delivery, your custom crown is completed significantly faster.
- In-Person Shade Matching: Our lab technicians can inspect your bite and natural enamel tones in person to achieve an exact color match.
- Immediate Adjustments: If your bite feels slightly off during placement, we make instant refinements in our lab while you rest comfortably in the chair.
Top Benefits of Getting a Custom Dental Crown
Investing in a high-quality dental crown brings immediate physical relief and long-term protective benefits:
- Relieve Tooth Discomfort: Protect exposed tooth nerves from hot, cold, or pressure sensitivity caused by cracks and decay.
- Restore Chewing Capability: Enjoy eating your favorite foods without worrying about further damaging a fragile tooth.
- Prevent Unnecessary Extractions: Shielding damaged natural teeth allows you to save your original tooth roots and preserve jawbone health.
- Enhance Overall Aesthetics: Modern porcelain crowns match the shade, shine, and contour of natural teeth, elevating your overall smile appearance.
The Barnard DDS Advantage
When you need restorative crown care in Fort Lauderdale, Michael Barnard DDS PA provides dependable expertise in a comfortable setting:
- Over 40 Years of Trusted Experience: Dr. Michael Barnard has successfully restored thousands of damaged teeth across South Florida.
- Comprehensive Doctor Team: Dr. Michael Barnard delivers patient-centered care.
- Multilingual Staff: Our friendly team assists patients in English, Spanish, and Creole.
- Affordable Membership Plans: Uninsured? We offer an accessible Dental Membership Plan at $195 per year for individuals and $215 per year for a family of four, making high-quality dental work accessible to everyone.
- Convenient Location: We are conveniently situated 1 mile east of I-95 on Broward Boulevard, directly across from the Fort Lauderdale Police Station.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does getting a dental crown hurt?
Not at all. We prioritize your complete comfort by using gentle local anesthesia to numb the tooth and surrounding gums throughout the preparation and placement steps. You should not feel pain during the procedure.
How do I clean and care for my new dental crown?
Care for your crown just like a natural tooth! Brush twice daily, floss daily around the base of the crown to keep gum tissue healthy, and visit our office twice a year for professional cleanings and routine checks.
How long do dental crowns typically last?
With good oral hygiene, regular dental checkups, and avoiding habits like chewing ice or using teeth as tools, a high-quality crown can easily last between 10 and 15 years or longer.
What should I do if my existing dental crown breaks or falls off?
Contact our Fort Lauderdale office immediately! Thanks to our in-house dental lab, we specialize in same-day emergency repairs and fast crown replacements to restore your smile quickly.
Does dental insurance cover dental crowns?
Yes, most dental insurance plans cover a significant portion of dental crowns when they are medically necessary to repair decay, fractures, or structural damage. Our office accepts most major insurance plans, and our staff will gladly assist you in verifying your benefits.
Schedule Your Dental Crown Consultation Today!
Do not let a damaged or painful tooth jeopardize your oral health. Contact the experienced team at Michael Barnard DDS PA today to restore your smile with a custom dental crown.
