Is your tooth feeling weak, damaged, or just not looking its best?
At Cavanaugh Dental in Lansing, we believe every part of your smile should be strong, healthy, and something you’re proud to show off. Think of a dental crown as a custom-made protective cap for your tooth. It’s like a durable helmet that restores the tooth’s natural shape, strength, and appearance.
Our caring Lansing dental team works with you to design a crown that protects your tooth and blends beautifully with your smile. Using high-quality materials like porcelain and ceramic, we create crowns that look and feel completely natural. Visit us whether you need to restore a weakened tooth or want to renew your confidence.
Dr. Daniel Dersken, Dr. John McRee, Dr. Sheridan Kelley, and our experienced Lansing dental team have been helping local patients protect and restore their smiles for over 30 years. Let us give your troubled tooth a second chance.
Serving Lansing, Dimondale, Holt, Mason, and surrounding communities.
What Is a Dental Crown?
Think of a dental crown as a “rebuild” for a damaged tooth. It’s a solution that fixes both health and cosmetic issues at the same time.
You may need a dental crown if you have:
- A tooth weakened by a large cavity (too large for a standard filling)
- A cracked, fractured, or chipped tooth
- A tooth that is severely worn down from grinding (bruxism) or acid erosion
- A tooth that has recently undergone root canal therapy
- A tooth that is discolored, misshapen, or undersized
- A missing tooth: crowns anchor dental bridges
- A dental implant: the crown is the visible tooth that completes the implant
With proper care, dental crowns can last 10 to 15 years or longer. Their lifespan depends on your daily habits, such as good oral hygiene, avoiding chewing on hard objects, and regular dental check-ups. All this combined helps extend their lifespan.
Just like your natural teeth, crowns benefit from professional cleanings and exams. We’ll check your crown at every visit to ensure everything stays in perfect shape.
Dental Crown Procedure: What to Expect at Cavanaugh Dental
Getting a dental crown at our Lansing office typically takes two visits.
First Visit: Preparation (About 60-90 minutes)
- Examination & Numbing: Your dentist will examine the tooth and determine if a crown is the right solution. The area around your tooth will be numbed to ensure your complete comfort throughout the procedure.
- Tooth Preparation: The dentist will remove any decay, old fillings, or damaged areas. Your tooth is then reshaped to create the ideal foundation for your new crown. This step may sound intimidating, but patients tell us it feels no different than getting a routine filling.
- Digital Impressions: Instead of messy, goopy impression material, we use digital scanning technology to capture precise 3D images of your prepared tooth. This is faster, more comfortable, and more accurate than traditional methods.
- Temporary Crown Placement: While your permanent crown is being custom-made at the dental lab (usually 1-2 weeks), we’ll place a temporary crown to protect your tooth and maintain your smile.
Between Visits: Custom Craftsmanship
Your impressions are sent to a trusted dental laboratory where experienced ceramists handcraft your crown. They match the color, shape, and translucency to your surrounding natural teeth. This takes about 1-2 weeks, but the result is a crown that blends seamlessly with your smile.
Second Visit: Crown Placement (About 30-45 minutes)
- Temporary Removal: We remove your temporary crown and clean the underlying tooth.
- Fit & Color Check: Your permanent crown is tried in to check the fit, color, shape, and bite alignment. We make any necessary adjustments to ensure it feels completely natural.
- Permanent Bonding: Once everything is perfect, we bond your new crown to your tooth using special dental cement. A curing light hardens the cement instantly.
- Final Adjustments: Your bite is checked one last time, and you leave with a fully restored smile.
Why Two Visits? Why We Don’t Rush Your Crown
Some dental offices offer same-day crowns using in-office milling machines. While convenient, those crowns are milled from a single block of ceramic by a machine.
At Cavanaugh Dental, we take a different approach. We send your case to skilled human ceramists who handcraft each crown. Why?
- Better aesthetics: Human ceramists can layer porcelain to match the natural translucency of your surrounding teeth
- Custom shade matching: We can match subtle color variations that machines can’t replicate
- Proven durability: Lab-crafted crowns have decades of proven success
- No compromise on quality: Your crown is an investment in your smile. We believe it’s worth doing right.
Our promise to you: “The crowns we create will look as good as or better than the teeth nature gave you.”
Patient Review
Dental Crowns FAQs
How much do dental crowns cost in Lansing, MI?
The cost of a dental crown varies based on the material used (porcelain, ceramic, or porcelain-fused-to-metal) and whether you need additional procedures (like a root canal).
Porcelain/ceramic crowns are the most natural-looking. On average, they range from 1,200 to 2,500 per tooth. Porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns are durable but less aesthetic. On average, they range from 800 to 1,500 per tooth.
Does insurance cover dental crowns?
Yes. Dental crowns are considered a medically necessary restorative procedure when a tooth is damaged, decayed, or weakened. Most dental insurance plans cover approximately 50% of the cost after your deductible.
Cavanaugh Dental is in-network with Delta Dental, Cigna, Guardian, and United Concordia (the last in honor of our military men and women). We also file claims for out-of-network providers as a courtesy.
How long does it take to get a crown?
The process takes two visits. The first appointment (tooth preparation) lasts about 60-90 minutes. You’ll wear a temporary crown for 1-2 weeks while your permanent crown is being custom-made. The second appointment (crown placement) takes about 30-45 minutes.
Will getting a crown hurt?
During the procedure, you shouldn’t feel any pain because we thoroughly numb the area. After the numbing wears off, mild sensitivity to hot or cold or minor gum soreness is normal for a few days. This temporary sensitivity usually fades quickly.
Can I eat normally with a dental crown?
Yes! Once your permanent crown is cemented and any sensitivity subsides, you can enjoy most of your favorite foods. We recommend avoiding chewing ice or hard candies and refraining from using your teeth as tools.
What foods should I avoid after getting a crown?
After your crown is placed, avoid very sticky foods like caramel, taffy, and gum (they could loosen the crown). Also, skip extremely hard foods like nuts, popcorn kernels, ice, and hard candy. After about a week, you can return to most normal foods.
Can a crown be whitened?
No, crowns don’t respond to whitening treatments. If you’re planning to whiten your teeth, we recommend doing so before getting your crown, so we can match it to your newly whitened smile.
What materials are crowns made from?
We primarily use high-quality porcelain and ceramic materials because they look the most natural and are biocompatible. For back teeth that require extra strength, we may recommend porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns.
My crown fell out. What should I do?
Don’t panic. Call our office at (517) 760-6845 as soon as possible. Keep the crown safe. Avoid chewing on that side. We’ll schedule an appointment to recement or replace the crown as needed. Don’t try to glue it back yourself because using the wrong adhesive can damage the tooth.
Why Choose Cavanaugh Dental for Your Crown in Lansing?
- Over 30 years of trusted care. We’ve been serving Lansing families for decades. Longevity builds trust.
- Three dentists, one convenient location. Dr. Derksen, Dr. McRee, and Dr. Kelley collaborate on your care. Dr. Derksen also brings advanced surgical and implant expertise to our practice.
- No judgment, ever. Haven’t been to the dentist in a while? We meet you where you are. No lectures. Just compassionate care.
- In-network with major PPOs. Delta Dental, Cigna, Guardian, and United Concordia.
- We promise quality. The veneers, fillings, crowns, and bridges we create will look as good as or better than the teeth nature gave you.
- Same-day emergencies. We strive to see emergency patients on the same day.
- Financing options. CareCredit and Sunbit make treatment affordable.
No Insurance? No Problem.
We offer:
- CareCredit & Sunbit financing: Low or no-interest monthly payment plans
- FSA/HSA funds: Use pre-tax dollars to save on treatment
- Cash, check, and major credit cards accepted
We provide clear, written estimates before any treatment begins so there are no surprises.
Schedule Your Dental Crown Consultation Today
Ready to restore your smile with a dental crown? At Cavanaugh Dental, we make it easy to take the next step.
Call our Lansing, MI dental practice today at (517) 760-6845 or request an appointment online.
We proudly serve patients from Lansing, Dimondale, Holt, Mason, and surrounding communities.