Dental crowns offer long-term, full-coverage protection to your teeth. But they don’t last indefinitely. At some point, dental crowns may need to be updated or replaced.
Here are just a few examples of when it’s time to look into dental crown replacement in Wheaton:
Your Crown Feels Loose
From time to time, dental crowns may come loose or even fall off. This could be from a number of reasons, such as the use of temporary cement, failure of the bonding agent to cure, eating sticky foods, or a cavity under your crown. If your cap seems to move when you press on it, it’s best to act quickly and reach out to our team for dental crown repair in Wheaton. A loose crown will trap bacteria between it and your tooth, posing a significant risk for infection or painful toothache.
There’s New Decay Around Your Crown
Dental crowns and fillings do not prevent new cavities from developing in your teeth. With a crown, there is still a margin around the restoration where your underlying tooth is exposed to foods, bacteria, etc. If it isn’t cleaned thoroughly each day—which includes flossing—new areas of decay can develop. These cavities can creep up underneath your crown, causing it to fail and putting you at risk for an abscess.
Something Feels “Off”
Crowns can occasionally chip or the tooth may tilt out of alignment for one reason or another. When either of these scenarios happens, it changes the way your teeth bite together. Left alone, damage can occur to your opposing teeth.
Your mouth is extremely sensitive to change. If something feels “off” whenever you’re biting down or around your tooth in general, it’s best to have Dr. Joshi take a look at that area.
The Crown is Leaking
Dr. Joshi recommends taking periodic X-rays of your teeth and existing dental work to monitor your oral health. If we can see that there is leakage around your dental crown (creating an open margin between your cap and tooth) then it will need to be replaced as quickly as possible.
How Long Do Crowns Typically Last?
The average lifespan for a dental crown is typically around 10 years. Factors such as where the crown is located and what it’s made of contribute to its lifespan, but with great home care and ongoing preventative dentistry, it’s not uncommon for a crown to last 15+ years. For children, they may do a bit more wear and tear. Our Wheaton pediatric dentist will provide you with the information you need to protect your dental crowns as well as other existing restorations, minimizing how often you’ll need to update your dental work.
Reserve an Appointment Today
If it’s been six months or longer since your last checkup, or you’re experiencing symptoms of failing dental crowns, call DPD Smiles. Our dental team offers comprehensive children’s dental crown treatments and other restorative services. Contact us today for more information.
