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Questions about Dental crowns

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Comments

  • brook2jack
    brook2jack Posts: 4,563 Forumite
    As above ,check with your dentist but it's not unknown for two metals in contact in the mouth to change colour as electrolytic changes occur. This will not necessarily weaken the crown. More likely if it's a NHS crown as more likely to be a non precious metal alloy crown, but can even happen with a 60% gold crown which is the private standard.
  • mike004
    mike004 Posts: 130 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10 Posts Combo Breaker
    Can crowns be repaired?
    My gold crown has dropped out. Its about 20 years ols. Looks like the metal post used to fix it in the tooth has rusted through! The upper gold part looks good as new.

    I'm seeing my dentist in a few days. If he suggests a new crown, it might be expensive. I certainly wont be buying a gold one at todays prices.

    Surely, if dental labs make new crowns, they will be able to repair an old one? Should I try to sort out a crown repair privately, or is it available on the NHS?
  • brook2jack
    brook2jack Posts: 4,563 Forumite
    I would imagine if the crown was on a post and has dropped out then you probably have problems with the tooth underneath rather than the crown. Posts don't rust but decay products from the tooth may give that appearance. Ask your dentist. Dental labs cannot take impressions to repair crowns so you really need to see a dentist.
  • mike004
    mike004 Posts: 130 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10 Posts Combo Breaker
    Thanks for your reply.
    brook2jack wrote: »
    I would imagine if the crown was on a post and has dropped out then you probably have problems with the tooth underneath rather than the crown. Posts don't rust but decay products from the tooth may give that appearance.

    Half the post is in the tooth, the other half is attached to the underside of the gold crown.
    Ask your dentist. Dental labs cannot take impressions to repair crowns so you really need to see a dentist.

    Does that mean that dental labs would not do a repair such as this?
    Speak to my dentist...Unfortunately his English is very poor. I am dreading having a discussion with him about crowns.
    And my dental practice has recently undergone a change in ownership. They now seem to be focused on profit rather than care...I don't trust them anymore.
  • brook2jack
    brook2jack Posts: 4,563 Forumite
    Yes labs will not do this repair. At a minimum the post remnants will need drilling out of the tooth (if possible), and if enough tooth is left after this a new impression will need to be made and most probably a new crown as all of this will probably affect the fit, particularly as the crown is 20 years old.Alternatively so little may be left that the tooth may need extracting.

    Why go to this dentist if you don't trust them and can't communicate? Not a good basis for improving your dental health.... perhaps now is a good time to investigate alternatives.... see toothsmiths signature.
  • mike004
    mike004 Posts: 130 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10 Posts Combo Breaker
    Thanks for your reply.
    Sounds like I'll need a new crown. If I'm lucky.
    It seems a shame to dump a gold crown, where the metal is in perfect condition. Does it have any resale value?
  • brook2jack
    brook2jack Posts: 4,563 Forumite
    The majority of the value of a crown is the immense skill employed by the dental technician who spends hours making it.

    Dental gold is not pure gold (far too soft) but there is a tiny amount of money in scrap dental gold.
  • mike004
    mike004 Posts: 130 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10 Posts Combo Breaker
    brook2jack wrote: »
    Yes labs will not do this repair. At a minimum the post remnants will need drilling out of the tooth (if possible), and if enough tooth is left after this a new impression will need to be made and most probably a new crown as all of this will probably affect the fit, particularly as the crown is 20 years old.Alternatively so little may be left that the tooth may need extracting.

    Why go to this dentist if you don't trust them and can't communicate? Not a good basis for improving your dental health.... perhaps now is a good time to investigate alternatives.... see toothsmiths signature.

    Well, the dentist applied some cement and refixed the crown last week. It fell out 3 days later and I swallowed it!
    Didn't manage to retrieve the crown :(
    But the dentist now says the tooth is probably not strong enough for a new crown. He advises "building it up" with amalgam.
    How can a massive filling be stronger than fitting a new gold crown? This is one of my main chewing molars.
  • brook2jack
    brook2jack Posts: 4,563 Forumite
    Can't really say without seeing you but..... if a tooth has been root filled and then post crowned as yours has, and subsequently has more damage/decay then may be too little tooth left to retain a new crown .
    As the tooth is not giving pain then in this situation you may get a little bit longer life out of the tooth by trying to fill it with a "sticky filling" , normally not amalgam as it's not "sticky" but with the proviso that with so little tooth left the lifespan of the tooth is severely limited and will eventually need to come out.

    Discuss this with your dentist and if not happy with explanation think about changing dentists.
  • mike004
    mike004 Posts: 130 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10 Posts Combo Breaker
    brook2jack wrote: »
    Can't really say without seeing you but..... if a tooth has been root filled and then post crowned as yours has, and subsequently has more damage/decay then may be too little tooth left to retain a new crown .
    As the tooth is not giving pain then in this situation you may get a little bit longer life out of the tooth by trying to fill it with a "sticky filling" , normally not amalgam as it's not "sticky" but with the proviso that with so little tooth left the lifespan of the tooth is severely limited and will eventually need to come out.

    Discuss this with your dentist and if not happy with explanation think about changing dentists.
    Thanks for your reply.
    Yes, the tooth has been root-canalled in the past.
    The thing is, I can could claim back for a crown (Band C) from my company scheme, same as I could for a massive filling (Band B).
    So, if a crown would last longer and enable me to chew with confidence, the cost difference is not important.
    I'm sceptical that a massive filling won't last 5 minutes...
    The tooth will eventually have to come out. But as the teeth either side are missing, that would probably mean a partial denture.
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