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FAQ: Dental Crowns

Sensitive Teeth Loose Crowns Gold vs Porcelain Crown Lengthening	Leakage Historical Standard Stop Failures Crowns - Getting it Right the First Time
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Question:
I had a root canal and crown done on a molar 8 years ago.

Last week the crown fell off and when I visited the dentist he said he could not put the crown back in because the underlying tooth had decayed inside and the tooth would have to be extracted.

He said "Nope this isn't going back in". However, he then offered to put the crown back in on a temporary basis and said I could eat on it. The tooth now works fine and I have no pain and it's been 2 weeks.

Should I be in any hurry to get this tooth extracted any sooner than I have to? I plan on just continuing as is.

Is there any reason that I should get the tooth extracted now when it still has some function? Why pull it, what do I have to lose? ... Visitor from OH

Answer:
Keep using it as long as you can. Try to avoid doing extreme biting or chewing with it.

Eventually the crown will fail again because the cementation surfaces are flawed. The underside of a crown, when first made (from impressions) is a perfect match to the outer surfaces of the prepared tooth.

Once a crown falls off, for whatever reason, that "perfect interface" no longer exists. In your case, the surfaces of the originally prepped tooth have been altered further by decay.

Extra cement material can be used to make a snug fit but it is transitory at best. Extra cement that takes up the voids between the two surfaces does not replace the snug fit of carefully matched porcelain to the prepped tooth.

But... if you are careful about what you eat and how you eat... it could last a longer time than anticipated.

Pain is not a reliable indicator of anything.

Editorial Staff

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