Hi, it's Mia Armonde here to talk to you about family dentistry. As my small family grew into a large one, I found myself at the dental office on a regular basis. Every six months, the kids would go into the dentist for a cleaning or repairs to their teeth. During that time, I took an interest in the various ways the dental tools were evolving. Tools used in the dental industry have grown in leaps and bounds in the last few decades. For example, my kids went from hearing the dental drill to wearing headphones that completely canceled out the sound. Each time we go back into the dentist, I take a close look at the improvements that have arisen since the last visit. The results are astounding. I will cover my findings on this site, so you can also enjoy the improvements to dental tools and techniques.
Dental crowns can rescue cracked or broken teeth, protecting their interior tissue from infection, easing the pain of exposed nerves, and protecting the teeth from becoming even more damaged. Even with all of these benefits, however, crowns can't always work miracles — and sometimes they can even introduce some issues of their own. If you're having trouble with one of your dental crowns, here's a quick troubleshooting guide to help you and your dentist identify and solve the problem.
Pain or Sensitivity
If you naturally assumed that receiving a crown would relieve the pain you were experiencing in a damaged tooth, you may feel understandably peeved to discover that your tooth is still sensitive. The type of pain you're experiencing may tell you something about its underlying cause. For example, if your crowned tooth hurts when you chew, that pressure sensitivity may mean that the crown is still "too high," causing your upper and lower teeth to come together incorrectly. Your dentist can fix this problem by reshaping the crown. If a tooth with a new crown is sensitive to temperature changes, give the nerves a few weeks to get over the trauma of the crown procedure and recalibrate their pain response level. Your dentist may also recommend a specific kind of toothpaste designed to help reduce temperature sensitivity. If the pain remains constant, you might have a diseased pulp chamber (which requires a root canal) or a cracked root (which usually requires an extraction). You might even be experiencing referred pain from a different issue entirely, such as TMJ.
Looseness
Does your crown feel like it's wiggling around in your mouth as you chew? Crowns do come loose from time to time. The problem is especially common in temporary crowns, which are deliberately glued on with a weak adhesive (allowing for easier replacement by their permanent counterparts). If a temporary crown comes loose, you can cement it back into place with an over-the-counter dental adhesive designed for just such an emergency — but see your dentist as soon as possible for a more effective solution. Even a permanent crown can come loose if you're chewing something particularly sticky, such as taffy or caramels. Chronic bruxism (tooth grinding) can also loosen crowns. Your dentist can replace the loose crown and may also recommend a custom-fitted nightguard to protect your new crown against bruxism. You may also want to ask which foods you should and shouldn't be eating
Cosmetic Issues
Your crown may have given you plenty of reasons to beam with pride when you first received it. Now, however, you can't help but notice a dark line between the crown and the gum — and if you can see it, others can probably see it as well. The good news is that this dark line doesn't mean that the crown is failing, or that you have a gum infection. It's simply a consequence of having a crown made of ceramic fused to a metal base. The metal lends extra strength and durability to the crown, but it can grow discolored over time. Ask your dentist whether you can have the crown replaced with an all-ceramic or zirconia crown. These materials should provide many years of reliable service without creating any annoying lines.
Don't panic if you're experiencing trouble with a dental crown. Just make an appointment with your dentist right away so that the problem can be addressed and your tooth can get the care it needs.
Share4 December 2019
