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How Long Can I Expect My Dental Crown To Last?

People often assume that once they have a crown placed on a tooth, it will last the rest of their lives. Although dental crowns may last for a very long time, it is not correct to say that they will last forever.

How Long Do Dental Crowns Last?

This is one of the most difficult questions asked of a dentist because, in essence, no one can be sure. However, there are a few resources available that can give us an idea of how long your dental crowns may last.

One resource is insurance companies. Even though the dental insurance company should not dictate the type of treatment that should be done, they give some insight into the matter. Insurance companies will pay for a new crown on the same tooth after five years. So, in essence, they believe that dental crowns will last at least five years. Another resource available is the dental literature. The dental research has some extreme variability in this area. It provides information that ranges from a 20% failure rate in 3 years all the way to a 3% failure rate in 23 years. So, which is correct? The answer actually has to be looked at on a case-by-case basis. To do this, we need to look at why dental crowns have to be replaced.

Why Do Dental Crowns Need to Be Redone?

There are many reasons why dental crowns need to be redone. Fracture is one example. The fracture incidence of dental crowns can be related to either the type of restoration (gold, metal ceramic, all-ceramic) or where the tooth restoration is placed in the mouth (anterior vs. posterior). Another risk factor is if a person has a grinding habit at night. A crown will have a higher risk of fracture in a mouth that applies more forces to the teeth by grinding than in one that does not have any incidence of grinding.

Decay can be another reason why dental crowns need to be replaced. Just because a tooth receives a crown does not mean it is less prone to decay. In fact, because it has more areas that may trap plaque, it needs to be cleaned as well, if not more meticulously, during home care.

Esthetics can be another reason why dental crowns are replaced. Esthetics is one of the main reasons people choose to have a new crown made in the anterior part of the mouth. This occurs because as we get older, our teeth will change color and progressively get darker while the tooth with the crown will stay the same color as the day it was placed. A discrepancy between the color of the teeth will become more evident over time. In addition to color, esthetic changes in the position of the gum tissue over time can also affect the look of the crown.

Which one of these areas may be a factor in a patient's mouth is uncertain. An idea can be obtained by evaluating the reason a crown was needed in the first place (such as a fractured tooth, decay, etc.). In conclusion, it is unclear how long dental crowns will last. Their life span may be anywhere from a few years all the way to 20 years and beyond. A lot of it will depend on the need for the crown in the first place and how well the mouth is taken care of after the crown is placed.

By Greggory Kinzer, DDS, MSD

+Jim Du Molin is a leading Internet search expert helping individuals and families connect with the right dentist in their area. Visit his author page.

Types of Tooth Crowns

Most dentists will agree that the tooth crown is at the heart of general dentistry. They've all studied dental crowns in dental school, and some have done their best work replacing a missing tooth and saving the rest.

Research has given them the wherewithal to achieve virtually ideal restorations. They are natural looking, comfortable and stable in the moist environment of the mouth. Cosmetic dentistry professionals are better equipped now more than ever to build strong, long-lasting and cosmetically superior dental crowns.

What is a dental crown?

A crown (or cap) is a restoration placed over broken teeth or a cracked tooth that cannot sustain a conventional filling. By covering the biting surfaces and sides of the tooth, a dental crown strengthens the damaged tooth by binding together the remaining structures. There are basically three kinds of full-crown restorations that can be placed by your cosmetic dentist, each with pros and cons, depending on your situation.

A gold crown or metal alloy crowns have the longest track record for durability, but some people object to the look of metal.

A full porcelain crown - and its new ceramic cousin - looks wonderful and fits well; however, porcelain crowns are usually best on front teeth where stress is not so great.

Porcelain-fused-to-metal dental crowns are our loyal work-horses for single-tooth restoration - they're very strong.

There are elements of finesse in the creation of any crown. The fit is the thing. The teeth must be prepared with opposing teeth in mind so a good bite won't go bad after the crown is placed. The fit must accommodate adjacent teeth, too. And the "margin," the part of the crown nearest the gum, must fit smoothly to protect the health of gum tissue.

And all this effort is to one end: to save a tooth.

When is a dental crown called for?

• A tooth that has been filled more than once cracks, breaks off, or falls victim to secondary caries - a cavity under or around a filling.
• You've had root canal treatment on a molar, and it's prone to brittleness.
• A tooth has suffered severe enamel wear.
• The high school hockey star takes a blow in the mouth, and an otherwise sound tooth is broken.
• You need an anchor for your new dental bridge.

+Jim Du Molin is a leading Internet search expert helping individuals and families connect with the right dentist in their area. Visit his author page.