Archives for April 2024

My Dental Crown Broke and I’m Wearing Braces

Posted on April 30, 2024 by AllSmiles.

For the past 12 years, I’ve had porcelain crowns on my front teeth. I’m wearing braces at age 42, and one of the crowns I knew was somewhat defective. It has a horizontal fracture near the bottom that is getting more noticeable. I am concerned that the crown will break. Is it urgent to get it fixed, or can it wait? I’m hoping that it won’t prolong my ortho treatment. Thanks. Todd

Todd,

The fracture will likely eventually break, so it’s wise to get the crown replaced before it becomes an emergency. A broken crown will leave your tooth unprotected and susceptible to breaking.

Cracks or Craze Lines in Crowns

Small cracks or craze lines in teeth or ceramic crowns are not usually a significant concern. However, if you can see the crack, it is progressing. A cosmetic dentist will examine your teeth and crowns and decide if only the cracked one—or all your crowns—require replacement.

If only one crown is replaced, expert color-matching is needed for the existing crowns and your natural teeth. An advanced cosmetic who understands how to manipulate ceramic crowns to match your natural tooth shade and clarity won’t unnecessarily recommend replacing all your crowns. Be cautious with a dentist who tells you that replacing all your crowns is the only way to achieve a match. It means that the dentist doesn’t know how to achieve a match.

What Happens If a Crown Breaks While You’re Wearing Braces?

If your crown breaks and you’re in the middle of orthodontic treatment, your treatment will be somewhat interrupted while you get new crowns. Generally, it takes two visits to get new crowns.

First visit – Your dentist will prepare your tooth and take digital impressions for a custom crown.
Waiting period – Your dentist will send the impressions and instructions to a dental ceramist to make a custom crown. It takes about two weeks.
Second visit – You will return to the office for your dentist to cement the crown to your tooth.

The delay should not significantly lengthen your treatment.

San Antonio dentists Dr. Gilberto Tostado and Dr. Karina Acuña sponsor this post. Read how they strive to provide patients with some of the best dental care in San Antonio.

My Dentist Ruined My Crown

Posted on April 28, 2024 by AllSmiles.

In February, my dentist placed crowns on the top left incisor and the tooth behind it. I returned to the dentist because one of the crowns fell off, and my dentist ground the crown and my tooth. Three days later, a piece of the crown broke. My dentist suggested my bite was too forceful, but I know the crown broke from all the grinding. Will I need new crowns again? Thank you. Dana

Dana,

A dentist may grind or file a crown to adjust your bite. However, checking your bite in intervals prevents the dentist from grinding too much of the crown and weakening it or disrupting your bite. The required adjustments should be minor without drastically altering your dental crown. Afterward, your dentist can smooth and shape the crown.

Concerns about your dental crown experience.

Loose crowns – Your dentist might have removed too much tooth structure in preparation for the crown. Or perhaps your dentist bonded the crown incorrectly.
Adjusting your bite—Adjusting your bite is essential to help your crown feel natural. However, a dentist should ensure your crown fits well before cementing it to your tooth.
Broken crown – A crown should not break after a dentist grinds it to adjust your bite. Excessive adjustments can damage the dental ceramic.
Affecting your bite – Crown adjustments affect your bite and, if done improperly, can disrupt it, causing jaw pain, earaches, headaches, and other TMJ-related concerns.

We recommend a second opinion with a cosmetic dentist trained in occlusion and bite. You can get affordable care without compromising your oral health. Ask your dentist for a refund because you didn’t get dental crowns that fit and function well.

San Antonio dentists Dr. Gilberto Tostado and Dr. Karina Acuña sponsor this post. Read how they strive to provide patients with some of the best dental care in San Antonio.

Must a Surgeon Remove a Tooth Root Fragment Broke During an Extraction?

Posted on April 11, 2024 by AllSmiles.

My dentist had trouble extracting my top left first molar, so part of the root broke. She referred me to an oral surgeon, and I am scheduled to remove the rest of the root in late June. Is this necessary, or can I leave the root fragment as is? Will it hurt anything? Thanks. Korey

Korey,

If a tooth isn’t easy to remove, a tooth root may break during an extraction. Your dentist realized she left the root fragment and responsibly referred you to an oral surgeon. Hopefully, in the future, your dentist will anticipate the challenges for an extraction patient and determine when it’s best to refer them to an oral surgeon for tooth removal.

If a root fragment is too long, bone can grow around it, making it more challenging to remove. Follow-up care should be in a few days.

The roots of the upper first molars are close to the sinus wall and can perforate the wall. The surgery requires adeptness to avoid additional complications. Allowing extended healing will increase the risk of perforation.

We recommend getting a second opinion from another oral surgeon about the timing of the root fragment removal. Another oral surgeon may recommend leaving a small fragment that’s close to the sinus wall. Otherwise, they will likely remove it as quickly as possible.

If you are considering a dental implant to replace your first molar, discuss it with the oral surgeon to determine whether you need bone grafting first.

San Antonio dentists Dr. Gilberto Tostado and Dr. Karina Acuña sponsor this post. Read how they strive to provide patients with some of the best dental care in San Antonio.