Reviewed by Dr. Nicole M. Berger, DDS — South Florida Smile Spa, Pompano Beach, FL
Dental crowns in Pompano Beach are what you get when a tooth has run out of ways to hold a filling. A crown is a rebuild rather than a repair, and that distinction decides when it is the right answer.
Quick answer
A dental crown is a custom cap that covers the whole visible part of a tooth, restoring its shape and taking biting force off what remains. It is usually recommended after a root canal, after a large filling fails, or when a tooth is cracked. At South Florida Smile Spa in Pompano Beach, Dr. Nicole M. Berger, DDS makes many crowns in a single visit using CEREC same-day technology, so there is no temporary and no second appointment. Crowns commonly last ten to fifteen years, and the natural tooth at the margin can still decay, so flossing around a crown matters.
Rebuilding a Tooth
What a crown does that a filling cannot
A filling sits inside a tooth and relies on the surrounding walls to hold it. Every time more tooth is lost, those walls get thinner, and at some point the tooth starts flexing under load and cracking around the filling.
A crown works the opposite way round. It wraps over the top and down the sides, so chewing force is transferred through the crown into the root rather than splitting the remaining walls apart. That is why a cracked or root-treated tooth needs one: those teeth are structurally compromised, not just missing material.
The cost is tooth structure. Preparing a crown means reducing the tooth on every surface, which is why we do not reach for one when an onlay or a well-placed filling would survive.
Materials, and why the back of the mouth is different
| Material | Best suited to | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Zirconia | Molars and heavy bites | Very strong; less translucent than pressed ceramic |
| Pressed ceramic | Front teeth and premolars | Best appearance; needs adequate thickness |
| Porcelain fused to metal | Long-span or older restorations | Strong, but a dark margin can show as gums recede |
| Gold | Back teeth in very heavy bites | Extremely durable and kind to the opposing tooth; visible |
Crowns are also what anchor a dental bridge, and what restores a dental implant once it has integrated.
Same-Day Crowns
How the appointment runs
Two routes, and which one you get depends on the tooth rather than on preference.
- Assessment. An X-ray to check the root and the bone, and an honest look at whether a more conservative option would hold.
- Preparation. The tooth is numbed and reduced to make room for the crown; any decay or failing filling comes out at the same time.
- Scan. A digital scan with the iTero scanner replaces the impression tray.
- Same day, or two visits. With CEREC the crown is designed and milled in the office and fitted the same appointment. Where the case calls for laboratory work, a temporary is worn for about two weeks.
- Fitting. Contacts, margins and bite checked and adjusted before cementing.
If the tooth needs a root canal first, that happens before the crown, because a root-treated back tooth without a crown has a high chance of splitting.
Looking after a crown
- Floss around it daily; the margin at the gumline is the one place it can fail
- Wear a night guard if you grind, which is the commonest reason a crown or the tooth under it fractures
- Avoid ice, nut shells and using teeth as tools
- Expect mild cold sensitivity for a few days after fitting, not weeks
- Keep recall visits so the margin is checked on X-ray rather than when it starts to hurt
When a crown is not the answer
If the problem is purely how a front tooth looks and the tooth itself is sound, a veneer or bonding removes far less tooth. If the tooth is cracked below the gum or has lost too much bone support, a crown will not save it and replacement with an implant is the more honest plan. We would rather say that at the start.
If the question is whether the tooth can be saved at all, our guide to root canal versus dental implant covers how that decision gets made.
Care in Pompano Beach
Why patients choose South Florida Smile Spa
Dr. Nicole M. Berger has practiced in Pompano Beach for more than twenty years and designs and fits same-day crowns in the office rather than sending every case to a laboratory.
- CEREC same-day crowns where the tooth allows, so no temporary and no second visit
- Digital scanning rather than impression trays
- Digital X-rays on site
- IV and oral sedation available for patients who need it
- English and Spanish spoken
- One location on E McNab Rd, serving Pompano Beach, Lighthouse Point, Deerfield Beach, Fort Lauderdale and Coconut Creek
New here? See what to expect on your first visit, or meet the team.
If a filling keeps breaking
That is usually the tooth telling you it has run out of structure. Worth looking at before it cracks somewhere that cannot be repaired.
South Florida Smile Spa · Dr. Nicole M. Berger, DDS · 572 E McNab Rd, Suite 102, Pompano Beach, FL 33060 · (954) 785-1100
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a dental crown?
A cap that covers the whole visible part of a tooth, restoring its shape and holding the remaining tooth structure together. Unlike a filling, which replaces missing tissue inside a tooth, a crown wraps around what is left and takes the biting force off it.
When do I actually need a crown?
Most often after a root canal, when a large filling has failed or keeps failing, when a tooth is cracked, or when so little sound tooth remains that another filling would simply break again. Cosmetic reasons exist too, but a crown removes a lot of tooth, so appearance alone is a weak reason if a veneer or bonding would do.
How long does it take?
Traditionally two visits a couple of weeks apart, with a temporary crown in between. With CEREC same-day technology many crowns can be designed, milled and fitted in a single appointment, which removes the temporary stage and the second injection.
What are crowns made of?
Most commonly zirconia or pressed ceramic for strength and appearance, sometimes porcelain fused to metal, occasionally gold where the bite demands it and appearance does not. Back teeth take far more force than front teeth, so the material choice is not purely cosmetic.
Does getting a crown hurt?
The preparation is done with the area numbed. Some sensitivity for a few days afterwards is normal, particularly to cold, and settles as the tooth calms down. Pain that builds rather than fades is worth a call, because it can mean the nerve is inflamed.
How long do crowns last?
Commonly ten to fifteen years, often longer. What ends them is usually decay at the margin where crown meets tooth, a fracture of the tooth underneath, or a grinding habit that was never addressed. The crown itself rarely wears out first.
Can a crowned tooth still decay?
Yes, at the edge. The crown does not decay, but the natural tooth at the margin can, and because it sits at or just below the gumline it is easy to miss. Flossing around a crown matters more than flossing around an ordinary tooth, not less.
Crown, onlay or filling?
A filling suits a small cavity. An onlay covers one or more cusps without taking the whole tooth down, so it preserves more structure. A crown covers everything and is right when too little sound tooth remains for anything more conservative to survive. We will tell you which category yours falls into and why.
Will the crown match my other teeth?
On front teeth, matching colour, translucency and surface texture is the whole job and is done carefully. On back teeth the shade still matters but strength drives the material choice. If you are planning to whiten, whiten before the crown is made, because a crown cannot be bleached later.
My crown came off. What should I do?
Keep it, do not try to glue it back yourself, avoid chewing on that side and call the office. If the underlying tooth is sound the same crown can often be recemented. If it came off because the tooth beneath it broke or decayed, that has to be dealt with first.
Does insurance cover crowns?
Often partly, when the crown is restoring a damaged or root-treated tooth rather than being placed for appearance. Coverage and waiting periods vary by plan. Our front desk checks your benefits and gives you the figures in writing before treatment is scheduled.