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.