Why Some Dental Crowns Fail?

Very often patients having dental treatment to get new crowns have unrealistic expectations for their lifetime and permanence. So, when the crown falls out unexpectedly they get surprised. The most important thing whenever this happens to you is to stay calm, put the crown in a small bag and make an appointment with your dentist as soon as possible. A crown that has failed is a dental emergency and should be address immediately. If left alone, food particles and microbes can cause an infection. So, what are some common reasons why a dental crown can fail?

Tooth Decay and Gum Disease

As obvious as it is, tooth decay is a common culprit of dental crown failure. Even though dental crowns are made from non-corrosive metals or porcelain, the natural teeth that the crown is bond to can decay. Not following good oral hygiene and care of a crown by brushing, flossing, and regularly visiting a dentist can lead to tooth decay beneath the crown. Another area often overlooked is the development of gum disease. It might sound counterintuitive that gum diseases would cause a crown to fail. The reason why a crown can fail because of gum disease is that when the hard tissue decays, this can weaken the cement which the crown was fixed. A unexpectedly forceful bite will cause the crown to pop out. The most common area for decay to develop at the gum line. For this reason, it is recommended to visit your dentist regularly because if the decay is spotted early, the decay can be removed or the crown can be re-fix or a new crown may need to be made.

Eating Hard Foods

If you can remember the advice your dentist gave you when getting a crown place, it was to try to avoid eating or biting hard foods. Crowns are made of very durable and strong material, but a person’s bite can produce enough force to crack a crown. This is the reason dentist constantly advise patients with crowns to avoid biting into hard foods. It does not matter how strong the material use to fabricate a crown if the crown is use to constantly chew pens, open bottle caps, or clenching teeth, the surface of a crown will crack or loosen.

Crown bonding weakens overtime

The adhesive bonding material use to bond a crown to the tooth is strong and durable, but overtime with constant chewing and bite pressure can weaken. This can cause the crown to loosen and weaken. If the crown falls out, a dentist can easily re-fix the crown if the tooth is healthy. Often a loose crown that not addressed can lead to other dental issues that may require extensive dental work.

Eating and chewing sticky food

As much as your dentist advise against chewing hard foods, sticky foods can also cause problems with crowns. Eating sticky food is okay in moderation. If you constantly eat foods that are sticky such as gums or caramel, the sticky foods can become stuck to the crown surface. The action of chewing these sticky foods can gradually pull the crown away from the tooth. This action over time can loosen the dental crown bonding and cause the crown to fall out. If you have a crown that comes loose when chewing sticky foods, you can paste the crown back on its position using a temporary crown bonding kit. However, you should immediately make an appointment with your dentist to have the crown reaffixed.

If you have issues with your crowns or need a crown reaffixed, call California Dental Group at (800) 407-0161 to schedule your appointment. Don’t let a loose crown lead to more complicated issues.