Blog
Several life factors can weaken your tooth, be it a cavity, a sudden hit to the face, or as a result of a root canal. When this happens, a crown placement by a dentist in Hendersonville, NC, can be what your bite needs to withstand the chewing pressures and remain solid for years to come.
Crowns act as protective caps, restoring the lost structure and durability of your tooth. However, even the strongest crowns have a lifespan, and identifying signs of damage immediately is crucial to replacing them before your underlying tooth suffers more.
Dental crowns are tooth-shaped restorations put over a tooth or artificial tooth root to protect it. Oftentimes, they’re a long-term solution to restore the tooth to a typical shape or size—However, dental specialists also place crowns to cover misshapen, damaged, or discolored teeth.
Generally, crowns are very long-lasting, as their main purpose is to fortify a tooth that has suffered damage. However, as with any dental restoration, crowns can experience damage over time, eventually leading to their replacement.
Crowns can be made from different materials, such as ceramic (porcelain), metal, or a combination. Ceramic crowns last 10 to 15 years, while metallic ones last 5 to 15 years. However, the care you put into it and your eating habits play a big role in your crown’s longevity.
Crowns have a limited lifespan, even with the best dental care; wear and tear over time can result in irreversible damage, so replacing them as soon as possible is best.
Determining the problem may be essential to a smooth and effective restoration when that occurs. To achieve that, here are some common crown damage indicators you should look out for:
If you are experiencing persistent discomfort or pain in the area where the crown is placed, it indicates something is wrong. You may experience this pain when you chew, bite down, or talk.
Often, the cause of discomfort can be a poorly fitted or loose crown, which leaves the sensitive inside of the tooth exposed.
Your crown may chip or crack due to trauma, teeth grinding, or normal wear and tear, allowing bacteria to enter your natural tooth underneath. If you notice a crack on your crown, there's a good chance that it no longer offers the tooth underneath the same level of protection.
If the crown starts to move, shift, or feel loose when you chew, it may be time for a replacement. The crown may separate or shift because the adhesive holding it in place is deteriorating over time.
After getting a crown, it's common to feel somewhat sensitive to hot and cold temperatures. But persistent or extreme sensitivity might be a sign of trouble. Your crowned tooth may be damaged, or the underlying tooth may become visible if it becomes very sensitive or painful when you drink hot or cold liquids.
Crowns may eventually become discolored due to aging or stains from food and beverages. If the color has changed a lot, it could indicate that decay has begun in the tooth underneath because the crown isn’t working properly.
If you’re unsure, a professional consultation will help you determine what is normal and what is not.
If the gums around your dental crown swell, bleed, or become inflamed when you brush or floss, you may have a problem with it. A poorly fitted or misplaced crown frequently irritates by creating gaps that allow bacteria to grow and irritate the gums.
You will need to replace the crown to restore the seal and prevent further oral health issues, such as gum disease.
If your bite feels uneven or your crown hurts, it could mean your crown is misaligned. This could be caused by the crown moving out of position or an incorrect initial placement.
A misaligned crown can cause bite issues, teeth grinding, and additional wear on neighboring teeth, so replacing it with a better-fitting one is critical to restoring your bite and avoiding further complications.
Saying goodbye to a long-standing dental restoration may be frightening, but replacing a damaged dental crown is common and generally simple. To help you prepare, here's what a dental procedure looks like:
We’ll conduct a detailed examination to confirm that the crown's damage is irreversible. If not, removing the restoration may lead to further dental damage, which we’d like to avoid at all costs.
During the examination, we’ll assess the crown and underlying tooth using visual inspection and X-rays. The goal is to look for fractures or identify decay and infection in the tooth and surrounding areas.
If we determine there’s a problem, the crown will need to go. To achieve that, we carefully cut and remove the damaged crown. This step is considerably easier if the crown is loose or has already fallen out.
After removing the damaged crown, we’ll check the state of the underlying tooth and whether or not it can withstand another restoration. We’ll look for signs of decay or damage and assess the integrity of previous dental work.
If the tooth is compromised, it may require a new filling, core buildup, or root canal before a new crown.
Once the tooth is set and healthy, it’s time to prepare it for the crown. We’ll take an impression (mold) or 3D scan of it to create a customized design for the available space. This also ensures that your new restoration matches your smile in shape, color, and size.
A temporary crown is placed over the tooth while a permanent one is made. This one usually needs to work for 1–2 weeks. At Black Bear Dental, though, we offer same-day dental crowns, which allows you to leave on the same day with your final dental restoration.
Once the permanent crown is ready, we'll remove the temporary one and set your final restoration. We’ll cement it in place with dental adhesive. Then, we’ll check that it fits perfectly to ensure comfort and proper alignment.
Dental crowns are strong and sturdy restorations that don’t last forever. Their lifespan varies depending on the material used, the crown's location, and how well they have been maintained. However, as they age, all crowns deteriorate, lose strength, or become more vulnerable to harm.
Even if there are no problems, visiting Black Bear Dental for an assessment could be a good idea. Contact us today to schedule an appointment!
