When a tooth is severely damaged, weakened, or after root canal therapy, a dental crown provides complete protection and restoration. At Dental Sedation Ottawa, we create natural-looking crowns that bring back full function and confidence — all while keeping you comfortable through comprehensive sedation options that eliminate fear and anxiety from the process.
A dental crown is like a protective cap that completely covers a damaged tooth, restoring its shape, strength, and appearance. Think of it as a custom-made helmet that fits over your natural tooth, protecting it from further damage while making it look and function like new.
Crowns are crafted from strong, tooth-colored materials — typically porcelain, ceramic, or porcelain-fused-to-metal — that are carefully shaped and shaded to match your surrounding teeth. When done well, a crown should be virtually undetectable.
Modern dental crowns typically last 10-15 years or longer with proper care, making them one of the most durable and reliable restorative treatments available.
Crown procedures involve multiple steps and often multiple appointments, which can trigger dental anxiety. We ensure every crown appointment can be completed in complete comfort.
Dentists recommend crowns when a tooth is damaged beyond what a filling can reliably repair, but the tooth is still worth saving.
Large Cavities or Decay: When decay affects multiple tooth surfaces or has hollowed out significant structure.
After Root Canal Treatment: Root canal therapy removes the tooth's blood supply, making it brittle and in need of full coverage protection.
Fractured or Cracked Teeth: Teeth broken from injury, grinding, or biting hard objects.
Severe Wear: Years of grinding or acid erosion wearing teeth down significantly.
Failed Large Fillings: When existing large fillings crack, develop decay, or repeatedly fail.
Cosmetic Improvements: Severely discolored, misshapen, or poorly positioned teeth.
Dental Implant Restoration: Crowns placed on top of dental implants to replace missing teeth.
When other options work better: Small to moderate cavities are better treated with fillings or inlays/onlays. Teeth too damaged to save need extraction and replacement with bridges, dentures, or implants.
Modern dental technology offers several excellent materials for dental crowns.
We begin by administering your chosen sedation option. Once comfortable, we numb the tooth area completely. The dentist carefully reshapes the tooth, removing damaged portions and trimming all sides to create space for the crown. We take detailed impressions (or digital scans) of the prepared tooth and surrounding teeth. These impressions go to our dental laboratory where skilled technicians hand-craft your custom crown. We carefully select the crown shade to match your natural teeth. Before you leave, we place a temporary crown to protect the prepared tooth.
Typically 2-3 weeks while the laboratory creates your custom crown.
At your return visit, we remove the temporary crown and try in your new permanent crown. We check the fit, bite, appearance, and ask for your approval. Once everything looks and feels perfect, we permanently cement the crown in place and polish it to a natural shine.
After permanent crown placement, avoid very hard or sticky foods for the first day. Some sensitivity near the gum line is normal for a few days.
Brush twice daily, including along the gum line where crown meets tooth. Floss daily — crowns need flossing just like natural teeth. Use a night guard if you grind your teeth. Avoid chewing ice or using teeth to open packages.
With proper care and regular dental checkups every six months, crowns typically last 10-15 years. Many patients get 20+ years from high-quality crowns. Signs a crown may need replacement include a loose or moving crown, dark lines at the gum line, sensitivity or pain, or visible chips. Call us immediately at (613) 482-0501 if your crown feels loose or falls off.
Transparent Crown Pricing
Most dental insurance plans cover crowns at 50% when medically necessary.
We provide direct billing to major insurance companies and accept the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP).
While crowns represent a significant investment, quality crowns last 10-15+ years and prevent tooth loss.
Our patients consistently rate us 5 stars for gentle, anxiety-free care. Read verified patient experiences on Google.
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