Dental Crown Aftercare – Advice From Your Wickford Dentist

How to look after this common dental restoration.

After fillings, the use of a dental crown to restore a decayed or damaged tooth is the most widely used method in the UK. They are especially effective where the damage is significant and usually provide a stronger restoration that allows the patient to continue eating as they did before, without having to worry too much about whether they need to change their diet so that their weaker teeth can cope with the food.

In addition to adding strength to a compromised tooth, crowns are produced so that they look natural and match the shade and style as the rest of your natural teeth. Indeed, they can be used as part of a smile makeover to provide you with your best smile possible in some instances. Finally, they are widely used to complete a root canal procedure. This is a complex procedure which can weaken the tooth and adding a crown not only makes it look more natural but helps to provide some additional strength as well.

Generally speaking, dental crowns are made from porcelain, metal or in combination. Gold crowns are also available although, as you would expect, these are significantly more expensive than those made of the other materials. In all cases though, crowns are made from artificial materials and cannot therefore decay. This can lead some people to think that as they are artificial, they need less care. This is a mistake as we will now see.

What can go wrong with dental crowns?

A correctly placed crown that receives the aftercare it needs should be a comfortable and natural experience. One thing that is important though is that you have these fitted at a reputable UK dentist like the Cygnet Dental Practice and not risk going abroad for a cheaper version. In many, though not all, cases, receiving treatment abroad has backfired for people. Some of you may have read stories about ‘turkey teeth’ from people who travelled to Turkey for cosmetic dentistry and badly regretted it! We strongly recommend that our Wickford patients don’t do this and if finance is an issue, please talk to us about our payment plans to help you spread the cost. Badly fitted crowns can be uncomfortable and, if fitted incorrectly, potentially painful too.

One of the most common problems with crowns isn’t actually with the crown itself. Too many people think that they don’t need to look after an artificial restoration, and while they are correct that the crown won’t deteriorate if you don’t brush it (though it can become stained), this often means that the tooth that it is attached to also gets neglected. When this happens, the tooth can start to decay and, in addition to problems like toothache, any cavities and subsequent fillings may change the shape of the tooth to the extent that the crown is no longer as secure as it should be. This may cause the crown to become detached. It is important that you look after a tooth restored in this way as you would a healthy natural tooth.

A word about detached crowns….

To attach a dental crown to a tooth, our Wickford dentists use a special clinical adhesive. This is very strong and long lasting and you should expect the crown to remain attached for approximately ten years. Naturally, the adhesive will eventually lose its strength and the crown may need to be reattached again at some point.

A detached crown is certainly inconvenient and can lead to the natural part of the tooth being more sensitive too. It is natural then for patients to want the crown reattached as soon as possible. Unfortunately, instead of seeking professional help with this, some people reach for the strongest household adhesive that they have. This is a huge mistake to make. These adhesives are not the same as those a dentist uses and many contain ingredients that will damage the crown and the tooth itself. It is also very likely that you won’t reattach it correctly, leaving the crown uncomfortable and leaving spaces for bacteria to enter and start the process of cavity formation. If this happens, the tooth may well be lost as well as the crown.

If you do this and then decide to seek the help of a dentist to correct it, it may not always be possible to remove the crown attached in this way and tooth loss is quite possible. Please, never attempt to do this and always seek help from a qualified dentist.

General care of dental crowns

So how do you best look after a tooth crown?

There are three things which are either essential or especially useful if you have a dental crown.

1 – Brushing and flossing your teeth well is essential. This is to prevent the natural part of the tooth from deteriorating and threatening the security of the crown. Make sure to use a toothpaste that contains fluoride as this helps to keep the enamel strong.

2 – Avoid very sticky foods like toffee. This is especially important towards the natural lifespan of the adhesive that we use. Crowns are strong but can become detached so it is best to minimise the risk of this happening. As mentioned before, if a crown does become attached, see a dentist and don’t attempt to reattach it yourself.

3 – Keep your dental appointments. In addition to checking for problems like decay or damage to your teeth, we also monitor the health of all restorations so that we can be proactive if any issues are detected.

If you have a tooth that you feel might benefit from a crown or currently have a crown that you suspect that there might be an issue with, please make sure to contact us for further advice. You can contact the Cygnet Dental Practice by calling us on 01268 733078.