So What Are Crowns, Onlays, and Inlays?
Do you have a cavity that's too large for a filling? If the decay hasn't reached too close the nerves of the tooth yet, you may be able to save that tooth and save some money by avoiding a root canal treatment and getting a restorative procedure done. What's traditionally used as an effective means to stop the advance of the decay is a dental crown. In these cases, the decay is drilled away from the tooth, and a cap matching the original tooth is placed over the tooth, forming a seal to block decay from getting back in. It's critical in these cases that the procedure is performed early enough - otherwise, more invasive measures are needed, like performing a root canal treatment. Even though we can help you with that as well, we prefer to save you money whenever we can.
In some cases when it is caught early enough, the cavity can be treated by crown alternatives like Inlays and Onlays instead. These advanced procedures are very similar to crowns, and in fact, they are also very close cost-wise. The difference is that they are smaller, and they can take more flexible shapes. Why is this better? The idea behind these procedures is to get the benefits of crowns while removing less tooth structure in order to save the teeth for longer. We always try to give our patients the most long-term conservative restorative options available for their health.
Crowns in Los Angeles - Why you should choose our restorations
Although many dentists in Los Angeles can perform crown procedures, the skill levels, techniques, materials, and technology used varies from office to office. Prices also vary across offices, varying from around $700 to sometimes $3000 per tooth. All of this leaves you with a big question - Why is it so difficult to choose the right Los Angeles crown dentist to do my restoration, and how do I choose the right one?
First off, we really feel your frustration. To help answer this question whether you choose to come see us or not, I'd like to describe the two extremes of offices you should avoid and why. For more information about these types of offices, follow the two links in the next paragraph.
On one extreme of offices to avoid, there are dental offices advertising the cheapest crowns, but delivering low clinical and service quality. On the other side of the spectrum, you'll find the offices of the high profile celebrity cosmetic dentists demanding high costs, but only delivering fancy-schmancy Beverly Hills snake oil. I would avoid both of these types of offices if you value your health as well as your wallet. Please note that we don't want to single out any other Dentists, and the offices described here are purely fictional. If you are the owner of an office matching any of these descriptions... Well... Sorry... ;-).
How to find reliable but affordable crowns in Los Angeles
Well, you could just come to us... Just kidding ;). Okay, maybe only a little :P. On a more serious note, it's difficult, but not impossible. We want you to see a Dentist that makes you happy, whether you see us or not. Here are a few things to look for when choosing an office:
- Digital X-Rays
- Crowns completed in one visit with CAD/CAM technology such as CEREC ™
- Metal-free restorations as a standard, not an upgrade
- Waiting room time within 10 minutes
In reality, the best way to tell is from the happiness of patients that have visited the offices. In other words, ask your friends, and if they have a Dentist they're happy with, and that office gave them lasting results, give them a shot.
We are very thankful that quite a few of our patients refer their friends and family. If you check our best dental office reviews, you will see more testaments to our quality and professionalism.
Related Dental Procedures We Perform
Our Los Angeles dentist office provides comprehensive dental care, and we have a few other specials running for our in-office discount plan members. Call our office to inquire about any of the following other related dental procedures:
- Dental Veneers
- Invisalign ™ or ClearCorrect ™ Clear Aligners
- Dental Implants
- Dental Bridges
- Root Canal Therapy
- Laser Gum Surgery
- Composite (White) Fillings
- Tooth Extractions