4 Signs Your Dental Crown Needs to be Replaced

Restorative dental treatment options like dental crowns take what was damaged or less than perfect-looking teeth and give them the ultimate makeover. Dental crowns look natural, allowing your teeth to function like healthy teeth, and they are long-lasting.

By following a good at-home oral hygiene routine and visiting your dentist for regular dental checkups and professional cleanings, dental crowns can last about 10 years or so. In this blog, Ginger Rome, DDS, at The Dentists at North Cypress in Houston, Texas, shares four signs that may mean it’s time to replace your dental crown.

Dental crown versus dental implants

You may be familiar with teeth replacement options like dental implants. While this typically includes dental crowns in a dental implant treatment plan, dentists use crowns to save the original tooth instead of replacing it.

For some of us, our first exposure to dental crowns is when our dentist installs a crown to save a tooth with a deep cavity. While the ability to shore up and strengthen a tooth is great, crowns can do much more, such as fixing damaged, worn down, chipped, or cracked teeth.

A two-appointment restoration

At The Dentists at North Cypress, our team offers porcelain crowns to our patients. Porcelain is not only durable and stain-resistant but also closely mirrors the pearly-white characteristic that natural teeth have. While durability and aesthetics are beneficial, the timeline for getting crowns is equally impressive – it generally only takes two appointments.

The initial appointment is about prepping the teeth for your new crown. During this step, we shave a thin layer of enamel from the tooth to be treated so that the crown fits well and doesn’t interfere with your bite. Then, we take digital impressions and send that data and color-match information to a dental lab to fabricate your custom crowns.

Your first appointment concludes with our team installing a temporary crown. Your new crown returns from the dental lab in about two to three weeks. The temporary crown is removed and replaced with your new custom crown during your last appointment. Your dentist checks the fit and makes any adjustments as needed.

Knowing when you need to get your crown replaced

While dental crowns are incredibly durable, they won’t last forever. Be vigilant and look for these four signs that your crown is failing. Remember that catching a crown before it fails is usually less painful and less expensive.

1. Discoloration, visibly different

When your crown is in tip-top condition, it’s nearly undetectable against your neighboring teeth. But as the years go by, it can visibly change in appearance. It may take on a different shade of color, or you may notice a dark outline between the edge of the crown and the gumline.

2. Cracks and chips

Natural wear and tear over time and bad habits like teeth grinding can take a toll on your dental crowns, causing damage like chips and cracks. Your dentist may repair it with dental bonding if there’s minor damage. If you notice any damage to your crown, don’t wait. Making an appointment soon can prevent an issue from becoming worse and more expensive.

3. Tooth pain or sensitivity

Similarly, if there’s damage to the crown, it can provide the perfect storm for bacteria to breach the portion of the tooth beneath the crown, ultimately causing tooth decay. Tooth sensitivity or pain may be your first clue that something is amiss with your dental crown.

4. Loose or dislodged crown

One of the symptoms of a failing crown is that it becomes wobbly or loose. Over time, the bonding material your dentist uses to adhere your crown to your tooth can weaken and lose its effectiveness. If, when you chew or bite down, you notice the crown is no longer stable, make an appointment to visit your dentist. If the crown is undamaged and in good shape, there’s a chance that it can be bonded back onto the tooth instead of being replaced.

If you are experiencing symptoms of dental crown failure, contact The Dentists at North Cypress by calling us today or scheduling an appointment online.