Sometimes crowns fall off due to faulty cement, or too much bite force placed on the crown.
If you have a problem with your crown, don’t delay. The decay or trauma that required you to get the crown in the first place hasn’t gone away. The original crown merely stopped its progression, but if something has threatened the integrity of that crown, the decay may resume.
You could experience catastrophic tooth loss, if you don’t address the problem right away.
How can I tell if I need a crown replacement?
One way to tell is to look at the gums. For example, if your gums start to recede away from your crown, you’ll start to notice a dark line at the base of the crown. You might also start to see signs of an infection in the gum line nearest to the crown margin.
You might also spot a crack before that happens, or feel pain that could be a sign of dental decay under the crown.
As you might expect, if the crown is loose or comes off you’ll need a replacement.
How long does the replacement take?
Because your tooth has already been “prepared” (ground down) for the previous crown, we can save up to an hour on the procedure.
Is crown replacement typically painful?
The replacement itself should be completely painless.
The best way to ensure your crown replacement is as pain-free as possible is to make an appointment as soon as you know there’s a problem.
One caveat. If you wait too long you may experience tooth pain from increasing decay and deterioration, and you may need a root canal. A root canal is rarely as painful as people assume it will be, but there still might be some discomfort involved, as well as a bigger overall financial cost of treatment
What is the cost of a crown replacement?
The cost should be roughly similar to what your previous crown cost, so anywhere from $1,000 to $1,400 (on average). The good news is that most insurance companies cover the procedure clear up to policy limits, and so your out-of-pocket cost should lower. Check with your own insurance company to be sure.
Cost shouldn’t be your biggest concern: The ongoing damage to your tooth should be. Keep in mind that it may cost much more to correct the problem if you allow the problem to progress. Quick, relatively inexpensive fixes often are temporary and will cost you dearly in the long run.
Seeing us for an appointment as quickly as possible improves your oral health and keeps your costs as low as possible. Contact Pure Dental Arts today!