Dental Crowns in Kensington, MD
Custom-crafted dental crowns in Kensington by Dr. Marlin, prosthodontist. On-site laboratory, 40+ years experience. Natural appearance, lasting durability.
Dental Crowns in Kensington, MD
Kensington residents appreciate durability and quality that remains functional over time. When a tooth requires restoration, a dental crown represents both the protection of that tooth and the commitment to long-term dental health. A well-designed crown from a prosthodontist with an on-site laboratory ensures that the restoration not only looks natural but also performs correctly for decades.
Dr. Gerald Marlin at Elite Prosthetic Dentistry, located 15 minutes from Kensington at 4400 Jenifer Street NW in Friendship Heights, has been crafting durable, esthetic crowns for over 40 years. Each crown is designed and fabricated with the understanding that appearance and strength must work together.
Why Crowns Matter in Prosthodontic Dentistry
A dental crown is a restoration that fully covers a damaged or weakened tooth, restoring its strength, protection, and appearance. While a general dentist can place crowns, a prosthodontist approaches crown design with specialized knowledge of how teeth should function together, how materials perform over time, and how a crown should integrate with surrounding natural teeth.
Prosthodontic training includes detailed study of dental ceramics, material properties, tooth preparation principles, and the biomechanical aspects of restoration design. This background ensures that every crown our team at Elite Prosthetic Dentistry places is fabricated to protect the remaining tooth structure, support proper bite mechanics, and maintain its appearance for decades.
When a Crown is Recommended
Kensington patients typically need a crown in several situations. A tooth with a very large filling that is failing or has new decay around the filling margins often requires a crown to provide complete protection. A tooth that has undergone root canal treatment is more brittle and benefits from the strength and complete protection that a crown provides. A tooth with structural damage from trauma, fracture, or severe decay requires a crown to save it from extraction. A tooth with an older restoration that is now outdated benefits from replacement with a modern crown.
In each case, the decision to place a crown is made because it offers the best long-term prognosis for that tooth.
Crown Restoration Services
Anterior Crowns: Pressed Lithium Disilicate
For front teeth, appearance is paramount. our prosthodontic team uses pressed lithium disilicate, a premium ceramic material that offers exceptional translucency and natural light reflection. This material allows the crown to mimic the subtle color gradations and light behavior of natural tooth enamel.
Preparation is performed with precision to preserve as much natural tooth structure as possible. The on-site laboratory allows Elite Prosthetic Dentistry to work with his ceramist to ensure that the shade, translucency, and contour match your natural teeth exactly.
Posterior Crowns: Zirconia
For back teeth that bear heavy chewing force, zirconia provides maximum durability and strength. Zirconia crowns are extremely resistant to fracture and are an excellent choice for patients with heavy bite force or a history of grinding.
Modern zirconia has been refined to offer excellent esthetics in addition to durability, making it suitable for visible posterior teeth as well as those out of view.
High-Esthetic Cases: Layered Ceramics
For the most demanding esthetic situations, Elite Prosthetic Dentistry uses layered ceramic restorations that combine the strength of a zirconia core with the natural translucency and color gradation of feldspathic porcelain. These restorations offer the best of both worlds: durability and natural appearance.
The On-Site Laboratory Advantage
The quality of a crown depends entirely on the laboratory where it is fabricated. This is why the in-house laboratory at Elite Prosthetic Dentistry is a crucial differentiator.
When Elite Prosthetic Dentistry prepares your tooth and takes impressions, those impressions are delivered immediately to the laboratory technician. The ceramist reviews the preparation, understands the clinical requirements, and begins fabricating your crown. Shade selection happens in person, under multiple lighting conditions, with you present to ensure perfect color matching.
If refinement is needed, the ceramist makes the adjustment during your follow-up appointment. This direct communication between clinician and laboratory technician produces crowns with a quality of natural appearance and precise fit that outsourced laboratory work cannot achieve.
Crown Preparation and Design
Tooth Preparation
Elite Prosthetic Dentistry prepares your tooth with precision, removing only the amount of tooth structure necessary to accommodate the crown material while preserving as much natural tooth as possible. The preparation is shaped to support the crown and provide a proper foundation for the ceramic.
Impression and Shade Selection
An impression is taken of the prepared tooth. Dr. Marlin and the laboratory technician discuss the preparation characteristics, and the ceramist begins designing the crown. Shade selection is done in person, comparing shade guides to your natural tooth color under multiple lighting conditions.
Temporary Crown
A temporary crown protects your prepared tooth while the permanent crown is being fabricated. The temporary is comfortable and allows normal function.
Delivery and Adjustment
When the permanent crown is ready, you return for delivery. Elite Prosthetic Dentistry adjusts the crown for perfect fit, verifies that your bite is comfortable, and ensures that the color and contour meet your expectations. The crown is then cemented in place.
Crown Longevity and Care
A crown from our specialty-trained team’s on-site laboratory typically lasts 15 to 20+ years with proper care. Longevity depends on several factors: the quality of tooth preparation, the precision of fabrication, the material selected, your home care routine, and your bite habits.
To maximize crown longevity, brush twice daily with a soft-bristled toothbrush, floss daily, avoid chewing on hard objects like ice or hard candy, and see Elite Prosthetic Dentistry for regular checkups. If you grind your teeth at night, a nightguard is recommended to protect your crowns and other restorations.
Replacing Older Crowns
Many Kensington patients have older crowns that are showing signs of age. These may have dark lines at the gum where metal shows through, may no longer match the color of adjacent teeth, or may have become loose or chipped. Modern crowns fabricated with current materials offer dramatic improvements.
Replacing an older crown is similar to placing a new crown: the old crown is carefully removed, the underlying tooth is evaluated and prepared, and a new crown is fabricated. The new restoration is designed with current materials and techniques to look natural and last for decades.
Treatment Timeline
Most crown treatment is completed in two appointments over one to three weeks. At your first appointment, the tooth is prepared, impressions are taken, and a temporary crown is placed. Elite Prosthetic Dentistry works with the on-site laboratory to fabricate your permanent crown during the following days. You return for the second appointment to have the permanent crown delivered, adjusted, and cemented.
In select cases where our prosthodontic team determines that additional time is beneficial for planning or where multiple crowns are being placed, treatment may be scheduled over a longer timeline.
Investment in Tooth Protection
A custom crown from Dr. Marlin represents a premium investment in protecting a damaged tooth. Kensington patients consistently find that the durability and natural appearance of a prosthodontist’s crown justifies the investment. We provide detailed cost estimates before treatment begins and offer financing options for multiple crowns or comprehensive cases.
Related Resources
- Learn more about custom dental crown services
- What Makes a Natural-Looking Crown
- Explore porcelain veneers
- View all locations we serve
- Browse real patient case studies
- Patient education resources
- Read patient success stories
- Read patient reviews
- Browse smile results
- Learn more: what makes a natural-looking crown
- Am I a candidate?
Getting Here from Kensington
Our office at 4400 Jenifer Street NW is approximately 15 minutes from Kensington via Connecticut Avenue NW through Chevy Chase. The Friendship Heights Metro station on the Red Line is adjacent to our building. Street parking and a nearby public garage are available.
Schedule Your Consultation or call (202) 244-2101.
Frequently Asked Questions
When do I need a dental crown in Kensington?
A crown is recommended when a tooth has structural damage from decay, a previous large filling, trauma, or root canal treatment. A crown fully covers and protects the remaining tooth structure while restoring appearance and function.
How long do crowns from Dr. Marlin's laboratory last?
With proper care, crowns fabricated by our on-site laboratory typically last 15 to 20+ years. Longevity depends on material selection, preparation quality, the precision of fabrication, and your home care and bite habits.
What materials are used for crowns at Elite Prosthetic Dentistry?
Dr. Marlin selects from pressed lithium disilicate for anterior teeth requiring maximum translucency, zirconia for posterior teeth requiring maximum durability, and layered ceramics for the most demanding esthetic situations. Each material is chosen to match your specific clinical and esthetic needs.
Will my crown look natural?
Yes. Crowns fabricated by our on-site laboratory are designed to match your natural tooth color, translucency, and contours. Shade selection happens in person under calibrated lighting, with you present for direct comparison to surrounding teeth.
How many appointments does crown treatment require?
Typically, crown treatment requires two appointments. At the first appointment, Dr. Marlin prepares the tooth and takes impressions. The crown is fabricated in our on-site laboratory. At the second appointment, the completed crown is adjusted and cemented in place. The timeline is usually one to two weeks.
Related Case Studies
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Related Articles
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Why are Some Temporary Crowns More Natural Than Others?
Temporary crowns fabricated in our in-house laboratory are made to blend with each individual’s lip line, facial pattern, and adjacent teeth in Washington, DC.
What Makes a Natural-Looking Crown?
A natural-looking crown blends with your gum tissue, matches your smile line, and has proper translucency and coloration. Washington, DC prosthodontist.
How is an Immediate Smile Makeover Performed?
An immediate smile makeover uses personalized temporary crowns crafted to match your facial pattern and smile line while final restorations are made.
Getting Here from Kensington
Elite Prosthetic Dentistry is conveniently located near Kensington, MD.
Drive south on Connecticut Avenue NW through Chevy Chase to our Friendship Heights office near the DC-Maryland border.
Address:
4400 Jenifer Street NW, Suite 220
Washington, DC 20015
Phone: (202) 244-2101
Schedule ConsultationSchedule Your Consultation from Kensington
Kensington residents trust Dr. Gerald Marlin for precision dental care. With 3,900+ implants placed and 40+ years of experience, your smile is in expert hands.