Crowns
Dental Services
Custom Dental Crowns in Hays, KS | Restore Your Smile's Strength & Beauty
Durable, lifelike dental caps to repair cracked, broken, or heavily decayed teeth on the Bricks of Downtown Hays.
A damaged, cracked, or severely decayed tooth can make it painful to chew your favorite foods and leave you feeling self-conscious about your smile. When a standard dental filling isn’t strong enough to protect a compromised tooth, a custom-crafted dental crown is the ideal solution to restore its full function, structure, and natural beauty.
At eyeSMILE, located in the heart of Hays, KS, we provide state-of-the-art restorative dental care. Dr. Jarrod E. Jones, DDS, and Dr. Christine M. Thomas, DMD, utilize advanced materials and precise digital diagnostics to craft crowns that fit seamlessly, feel completely natural, and are built to last.
Need immediate assistance with a broken tooth? Call our Main Street office directly at 785.621.4242
What is a Dental Crown?
A dental crown (often referred to as a “cap”) is a custom-designed restoration that completely covers a damaged tooth from the gumline up. Unlike a filling, which only plugs a cavity, a crown acts as a protective shield, encasing the remaining healthy structure of your tooth to distribute biting pressure evenly and prevent further fractures.
In the illustration above, you can see how a crown is placed. Our doctors carefully contour the damaged tooth structure, creating a stable foundation. The custom-fabricated crown is then securely cemented directly over this foundation, completely restoring the original shape, size, strength, and aesthetic appearance of your natural tooth.
5 Common Reasons You May Need a Dental Crown
Our clinical team may recommend a dental crown to address a variety of restorative and cosmetic concerns:
1. Repairing a Broken or Fractured Tooth: To hold a cracked tooth together and prevent the fracture from spreading to the tooth’s nerve.
2. Protecting a Tooth After a Root Canal: Teeth can become brittle after root canal therapy. A crown protects the treated tooth from breaking under chewing pressure.
3. Replacing Large, Failing Fillings: When a cavity is too wide for a standard filling, a crown provides the necessary structural support.
4. Restoring Dental Implants: A custom porcelain crown is attached to an implant post to replace a single missing tooth from root to crown.
5. Cosmetic Improvements: To correct severely discolored, misshapen, or poorly spaced teeth when conservative treatments like veneers are not an option.
Dental Crown Materials We Offer
We choose only the highest-quality dental materials to ensure your restoration is both exceptionally strong and aesthetically pleasing. Based on your unique bite and the location of the tooth, our doctors will help you select the best option:
- All-Porcelain & Zirconia Crowns: These are the gold standard for front teeth and highly visible areas. They mimic the light-reflecting qualities of natural tooth enamel, making them virtually indistinguishable from your surrounding teeth. Zirconia is also incredibly durable, resisting chips and wear.
- Porcelain-Fused-to-Metal (PFM): This hybrid option features a strong metal interior structure covered by a natural-looking porcelain shell. PFM crowns offer a reliable balance of strength and appearance, often used for back teeth.
- Gold & Metal Alloys: Made from premium gold, platinum, or base metal alloys, these crowns are exceptionally durable and gentle on opposing teeth. Because of their metallic color, they are typically reserved for back molars where heavy grinding forces occur.
The Step-by-Step Custom Crown Process
Getting a custom dental crown at eyeSMILE is a smooth, comfortable process typically completed over two brief appointments.
1. Comprehensive Exam & Tooth Preparation:Appointment 1 | 60 – 75 Mins.
Dr. Jones or Dr. Thomas will thoroughly examine the tooth, take low-radiation digital X-rays to check the health of the roots, and apply a gentle local anesthetic. We then carefully reshape the outer enamel of the tooth to make room for your new crown.
2. Digital Impressions & Temporary Crown:Appointment 1 | Same Visit.
We take precise physical or digital impressions of your prepared tooth and bite. These are sent directly to our trusted dental laboratory partners, who custom-craft your crown. Before you leave, we place a comfortable temporary crown to protect your tooth while your permanent one is being made.
3. Precision Crown Fitting & Cementation:Appointment 2 | 30 – 45 Mins.
Approximately two weeks later, you will return to our office. We remove the temporary crown, thoroughly clean the tooth, and place your permanent custom crown. After verifying that the fit, shape, color, and your bite alignment are absolutely perfect, we securely bond the crown in place.
How Much Does a Dental Crown Cost in Hays, KS?
At eyeSMILE, we prioritize financial transparency so you can make informed decisions about your oral health. The cost of a dental crown varies depending on the materials used (such as zirconia vs. precious gold alloys) and the complexity of the tooth preparation.
Cost Estimates & Your Insurance Benefits
| Restorative Service | Estimated Total Cost (Before Insurance) |
|---|---|
| Custom Dental Crown (Porcelain or Zirconia) | $1,400 – $1,700 |
| Core Buildup (Rebuilding the tooth base if highly decayed) | $350+ |
Navigating Your Insurance & Payment Options
- Delta Dental Patients: eyeSMILE Dental contracts as a Delta Dental Premier Provider. This specialized status ensures your out-of-pocket costs are minimized and your network benefits are maximized.
- Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) Patients: We gladly accept and file all BCBS dental claims on your behalf! While we process your claims directly, please note that eyeSMILE Dental is not a contracted PPO provider for BCBS. Our front-office team will explain exactly what this means for your specific policy.
- Flexible Financing with Sunbit, Cherry Financing and CareCredit: If you are self-pay or have a remaining out-of-pocket balance, we partner with several companies to offer interest-free monthly payment plans, helping you get the restorative care you need without delay.
Frequently Asked Questions About Dental Crowns
No! We ensure your comfort by applying a topical numbing gel followed by a local anesthetic before preparing your tooth. You might feel some mild pressure during the contouring process, but you should not feel any pain. After your appointment, you may experience minor gum tenderness, which resolves quickly with over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen.
On average, a high-quality dental crown lasts between 10 to 15 years. However, with exceptional home oral hygiene (brushing twice daily and flossing) and regular bi-annual dental cleanings at eyeSMILE, your crown can easily last 20 years or more.
Because temporary crowns are held in place with temporary cement, they require a little extra caution:
- Avoid chewing sticky foods (like gum, caramel, or taffy) or hard foods (like nuts or ice) on that side of your mouth.
- When flossing, slide the floss out sideways through the teeth rather than pulling it straight up, which can dislodge the temporary crown.
- If your temporary crown comes loose, call our office immediately so we can re-cement it and protect your prepared tooth.
A dental crown is designed to restore a single, damaged natural tooth. A dental bridge, on the other hand, is used to replace one or more missing teeth in a row. A bridge consists of an artificial replacement tooth held in place by dental crowns bonded to the healthy teeth on either side of the gap.
Protect and Strengthen Your Smile at eyeSMILE
You don’t have to live with the discomfort or worry of a damaged tooth. Experience gentle, transparent, and patient-centered restorative care with the trusted dental team on Main Street.
- Call Our Dental Team: 785.621.4242 (Click to call)
- Visit Our Office: 1300 Main Street, Hays, KS 67601 (Corner of 13th & Main, on the Bricks)
- Office Hours: Monday – Thursday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM