In a perfect world, your own natural teeth would remain in place, intact and fully functional for your entire life. (No such luck.) In a perfect world, dental crowns from a dental clinic near you to protect or support weakened, damaged or treated teeth while themselves remaining intact and in position for a lifetime. (Also unlikely.)
On average, today’s dental crowns last for between five and 15 years. That’s a big range, and just how long your crown will last will depend on several factors: where is the crown located in your mouth? How much wear and tear is that crown exposed to? How well do you maintain your general oral hygiene to protect the tooth and gums under and around the crown? What material is your crown made of — metal, porcelain-fused-to-metal, resin, ceramic, or pressed ceramics?
When should dental crowns be replaced?
Every time you attend a regular check-up at a dentist in Forest Lake MN, your dentist will inspect the condition of your crowns to determine if they’re still intact and functioning properly. If your crown shows any signs of damage, wear, weakness or ill fit, your dentist will recommend the crown be repaired or replaced. Examples of situations when a crown should be replaced include:
- If your crown becomes cracked or chipped
- If your crown or the underlying tooth is damaged in a motor vehicle accident, slip and fall, assault or athletic collision
- If the tooth under the crown becomes infected, weakened or damaged due to tooth decay
How can you avoid problems with your crowns?
Maintain good oral hygiene habits
The effectiveness and integrity of your dental crown depend largely on the health and condition of the tooth it covers. If that tooth becomes infected with tooth decay, any resulting cavity or loss of structure may affect the bond between the crown and the tooth itself. To protect that crown, it’s essential to maintain good oral hygiene habits relating to your gums and neighbouring teeth to avoid the accumulation of plaque, tartar and bacteria around the crowned tooth.
Ask your dentist for a nightguard if you clench your teeth or grind your jaw
If you clench your jaw and grind your teeth as you sleep — a condition called sleep bruxism — your teeth are exposed to much greater and much more prolonged pressures than they’re accustomed to during normal eating, biting and chewing. Grinding your teeth and clenching your jaw as you sleep can damage the biting surfaces of your teeth and dental work — including dental crowns near you. To protect your teeth and all your dental work while you sleep, ask your dentist to provide you with a custom-fit night guard.
What NOT to do
Lots of people have minor bad habits that don’t seem like a big deal, but that can actually damage or even dislodge a dental crown. Examples of potentially harmful bad habits to avoid include: chewing your fingernails or pencils; chewing ice; and using your teeth like tools, wrenches, scissors or pliers. All those activities pose a risk of damaging your crowns. To preserve the life of your crowns, try to avoid all those bad habits.
React quickly to any signs of damage
High-quality dental crowns in Forest Lake are not easily chipped, but the same is not always true about cheaper or lower-quality crowns. Low-quality crowns can be more easily chipped than others. If you ever notice any chips on a crown, let your dentist in Forest Lake MN right away. Minor chips that your dentist knows about right away can sometimes be repaired without needing to replace the entire crown. If you ever notice any other signs of damage to your crown — a crack, a wobble or any looseness — don’t delay in letting your dentist know. That may indicate a deteriorating fit and the impending loss of the crown.