4 Major Signs Your Dental Crown Should Be Replaced

Thanks to modern materials and technology, today’s dental crowns are pretty durable. You can trust them to protect weak teeth from bacteria, food debris, and other external forces. With all that said, these dental caps still need replacing every so often; they don’t last forever. You’ll thus need to monitor them and note when it’s time to switch. To ensure that happens, here’s a primer on four major signs your dental crown should be replaced.

Your Crown is Worn or Damaged

If your dental crown is worn or damaged, you should probably replace it soon. You could suffer a treatment failure otherwise.

Remember, dental crowns aren’t invincible. They can wear out from bruxism (i.e., teeth grinding) and poor hygiene, and they can suffer chips and cracks over time. In either scenario, a dental crown becomes less effective and can’t keep out debris that harms your tooth. You should thus replace the cap to avoid severe cavities or tooth infections.

Your Tooth Feels Pain

It’s never good when your crowned tooth feels pain. Often enough, that situation indicates you should replace your dental crown.

Your pained tooth would imply (among other things) that your dental crown is damaged. After all, it’d be exposed to irritating debris if your cap is broken, chipped, or cracked. Your ache would thus suggest you’re at higher risk of oral health issues. To prevent such conditions, replace your sore tooth’s crown immediately.

Your Gums are Receding

Receding gums don’t just point to problems with your gum tissues. Sometimes, they act as a sign you should switch out your dental crown.

Gum recession can often result from a poorly placed or non-functioning dental crown. In that scenario, the cap isn’t doing its job of protecting your tooth as it should. Your crowned area would thus be at a high risk of oral health issues – further tooth decay, tooth infection, etc. If you want to prevent such problems, replace your current crown with a new one.

Your Crown is 10+ Years Old

While well-maintained dental crowns can last a long time, even they have their limits. You should typically replace one of these caps once they’re over ten years old.

The fact remains that all dental crowns break down after a while. Once they reach the ten-year mark, most will develop issues from the wear and tear they’ve suffered. That’s why a dentist must closely monitor dental crowns with an age of 10+ years; they need to see if such caps need replacing.

You can always learn about other signs your dental crown should be replaced. To do so, just consult your dental provider!

About the Practice

Dental Expressions is based in Freedom, WI. Led by Drs. Robert and Heather Heil, our practice gladly helps patients achieve the smiles of their dreams. That means we offer preventive, cosmetic, and even restorative dental treatments, all tailored to your unique wants and needs. This setup ensures you and your family get the thriving grins you deserve! For more details or to book a visit, please contact us on our website or by phone at (920)-788-6280.