Dr. Noah's Dentistry Blog

Questions About Dentistry Answered

Is A Cracked Crown A Dental Emergency?

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I had six dental crowns placed quite a few years ago for a smile makeover. They’ve served me well. One of them has always had a small defect but it was not a problem. My dentist said these type of defects are common and harmless. You couldn’t really see it but my dentist was scrupulously honest (a trait I value) and told me about it. Since that time, she has retired and I am with a new dentist. I’m not quite as familiar with his character and have developed a dilemma of sorts. The dental crown that has the defect has changed somewhat. I can now see a line and feel it with my tongue. It’s a bit like a crack. I’m not opposed to replacing it, I just wanted to know if this would be an emergency appointment or if it can wait.

Regina

Dear Regina,

An image of a porcelain crown being placed on a tooth

It is a wonderful thing when you have a caregiver you truly trust. Hopefully, your new dentist will have the same integrity. I would not call the crack in your crown a dental emergency, but you will want to replace it at your earliest convenience. You mentioned that you had six porcelain crowns made at the same time. I am not certain how old they are. However, if they are getting up in years you have a couple of options.

First, you can just replace them as they are needing to be replaced one at a time. That could result in quite a few trips to the dentist. Another option is to replace them all at once. This is initially more expensive but you will save time.

I don’t actually recommend this if they are still in good shape. If they are, they could serve you well for many years. Have your new dentist assess them. Once their condition is determined you can decide what is the best option for you.

I will mention if you had any plans to whiten your teeth in the near future, make certain you do that before you have your crowns replaced. You can match dental crowns to the color of your natural teeth, but the crowns will not whiten after they are completed.

This blog is brought to you by Tulsa Dentist Dr. Ryan Noah.

Did the Emergency Dentist Damage My Tooth?

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I’m a little worried. I went to an emergency dentist because of a tooth which was in pain. He told me he didn’t see anything visible on the x-ray, but based on my description of symptoms he thought I cracked the tooth. He wanted to crown it first to see if the tooth could be saved. We did that, but the pain is still there. Now the tooth next to it is gray. Did he damage it or misdiagnose it?

Lauren A.

Dear Lauren,

Tulsa Emergency Dentist

A graying tooth means that the tooth is dead or dying. Without seeing an x-ray it would be impossible for me to tell exactly what the problem is, but I can give you three possibilities.

1. Your emergency dentist misdiagnosed the issue and crowned the wrong tooth. It’s always possible for dentists to get things wrong. Everyone is human after all. The only way to tell if this is what happened is to get a second opinion. Have another dentist look at the original x-rays and see if the real problem was visible.

If he did misdiagnose you, it is reasonable for you to expect a refund on all work done, including the appointment and crown. Then, you can have him treat the actual problem or, if you’ve lost faith in him, have the second dentist work on your tooth.

2. This is the least likely scenario, but worth mentioning. There is always the possibility that you happened to have trauma to the tooth adjacent to your crown that is now graying, at a later date. Unlikely, but possible.

3. More likely is the fact that both teeth experienced trauma at the same time, but the second tooth is just now showing evidence. That often happens with graying teeth. One tooth was cracked, which you instantly feel the pain. A second tooth is damaged and the blood flow cut-off, but you don’t realize it until the tooth starts to change colors. This tooth will likely need a root canal treatment and porcelain crown itself.

Why Some People End Up With Dental Emergencies.

This is not the case with everyone, especially patients in your situation where trauma is what sent you to the dentist. But, it’s worth mentioning for other patients out there who may struggle with going to the dentist.

You may find this surprising, but many Americans don’t look forward to going to the dentist. Some, out of intense dental anxiety, avoid it altogether. That often causes more pain and problems than if they came in for check-ups when problems could be caught early.

Fear isn’t the only reason people shrink from coming. Sometimes financial strains make it challenging and it just doesn’t seem important enough for them to go. When that happens, it’s better to find an affordable dentist who’ll work with you financially than to ignore the issue completely and end up with a severely abscessed tooth.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Ryan Noah.

Can I Whiten My Dental Crown?

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My dental crown is showing it’s age, like my regular teeth. If I whiten my teeth, can I also whiten my crown?  Will I need a cosmetic dentist or a general one?

Natalie – Wisconsin

Natalie,

Despite how it sounds, there isn’t a cosmetic dentistry specialty, so every cosmetic dentist is just a general dentist who also does cosmetic procedures. Teeth whitening is an easy procedure, so any dentist can do it. However, while it will whiten your teeth, it will not whiten your dental crown.

Here is where someone who has more training in cosmetic procedures will come in handy. My suggestion is for you to whiten your teeth first. then, get a porcelain crown done to match your new bright, white teeth.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Ryan Noah.