Edmonton dentist and big hockey fan crowns patients with Oilers logo

EDMONTON – Dentist Dr. Alex Pavlenko is providing a unique way for Edmonton Oilers fans to show off their love of the hockey team, with porcelain crowns featuring the Oilers' logo.

“You crack a tooth in half, or part of it come off, or anything could happen, right?” Pavlenko said with a laugh. “This is a good solution to make it memorable for you.”

The tiny logo on the crown is hand-painted under a microscope at a lab located in Calgary.

The dentist told CTV Edmonton the special crown is only available for patients who need it, and he won’t place a crown on a healthy tooth.

Lisa Dureault was in Pavlenko’s office Friday, and said she hopes she’ll be one of the first to get one.

“I do need one up here so let’s hope,” Dureault said, pointing to her top teeth.

She already has a crown with a diamond in it, and she loves the idea of the Oilers logo.

“It’s a permanent way to show your support long-term,” Dureault said.

For Pavlenko, his love of the team goes back to the 1980s when he lived in Ukraine. Back then, he said getting to watch Wayne Gretzky and the Oilers play wasn’t easy.

“Because that time (it) was former Soviet Union, but we kind of snuck around and we could see some glance of real NHL hockey spirit, so we were like ‘wow!’ ” Pavlenko said. “And the Oilers (had a) winning streak for so many years in a row.”

He's now hoping his favourite team goes on to be crowned Stanley Cup champions.

“It’s not about business; it’s about spirit, about fan craziness.”