A damaged tooth doesn’t always need a crown.

Not always. When a tooth is cracked or has lost a cusp but much of it is still healthy, a bonded inlay or onlay can protect the weak part while preserving the healthy tooth a full crown would grind away. We use the most conservative option that will actually last — and show you why.

All three rebuild a damaged tooth. An inlay fits within the tooth's cusps; an onlay also covers one or more cusps; a crown covers the entire tooth. Inlays and onlays are partial-coverage — they keep more of your natural tooth than a crown.

It varies with the case — the tooth, how much damage there is, your goals, and the lab and materials we use — so we don't quote a one-size figure. You get an itemized number before we begin, and we can review insurance and our in-house membership plan.

Often, yes — we design and mill many crowns in-office the same day, so you skip the temporary and the second appointment. Some cosmetic front-tooth cases are still better made in a lab, and we'll tell you which yours is.

We prepare teeth gently with air abrasion and electric handpieces and follow a meticulous bonding protocol, which prevents much of the post-treatment sensitivity people expect. We'll also talk through comfort options, including sedation, before anything begins.

With good care, modern crowns and bonded onlays last many years. We plan each one around your whole bite so it holds up — and preserving more natural tooth (an onlay) often means a healthier tooth long-term.

They're made of composite resin — a durable, tooth-colored material that bonds to the tooth. They contain no mercury, match your tooth, and let us remove less healthy structure than older silver fillings required.

Not just because they're silver. If an amalgam filling is intact and sealed, replacing it only to change the color removes healthy tooth for little benefit. We replace one when it's cracked, leaking, decayed underneath, or the tooth is at risk — and we'll tell you honestly which is the case.

Often yes, before it worsens. A crack that's caught early can sometimes be protected with an onlay; left alone, it can deepen until the tooth splits and needs a crown, a root canal, or removal. We'll show you the crack on a photo and explain the risk honestly.

Decay and cracks don't heal on their own — they grow. A small filling can become a crown, a crown can become a root canal, and an untreated tooth can eventually be lost. Treating it early is almost always simpler, more comfortable, and less expensive.

A root canal treats infection or damage inside the tooth's nerve; a crown rebuilds the outside. Sometimes a tooth needs both. When a case is better served by an endodontist, we coordinate the referral and restore the tooth afterward.

For most back teeth, yes — the ceramic is strong and the digital fit is excellent. For highly visible front teeth that need custom, layered shading, a lab crown can still look better, and we'll recommend that when it's the right call.

Much of it traces back to how the filling was placed — heat, vibration, or a rushed bond. We prepare teeth gently, keep them isolated and dry, and follow a meticulous bonding protocol, which prevents most post-treatment sensitivity. Not all of it is preventable, but we minimize everything in our control.

Most PPO plans cover part of fillings and crowns, subject to your annual maximum. We check your benefits before treatment and give an itemized estimate, and we offer financing and an in-house membership plan if you're uninsured.

It's rebuilding a worn or broken-down bite across many teeth, planned as one coordinated whole. Most patients don't need it — but for heavy wear, old failing work, or a collapsed bite, it restores comfort and function. We plan these carefully and never rush the smile.

Sí. La Dra. Shantall y nuestro equipo atienden en inglés y español, y le mostramos exactamente por qué recomendamos cada reparación.