With the right care, dental crowns can last ten to fifteen years. We use crowns made of porcelain, a natural-looking but strong material that fully covers and protects teeth. While dental crowns offer durability, they can also break, just like natural teeth. We provide dental crown treatment for patients who need to address tooth damage and wear in the Arlington Heights, IL, area.
Dental Problems That Can Damage Tooth Crowns
If you develop a problem after receiving your crowns, it can impact your oral health and restorations. Common problems that may lead to crown damage over time include:
Tooth Decay and Gum Disease
Before we place crowns, we ensure that patients do not have any dental problems that impact the comfort or health of the teeth beneath the dental crown. Infection can reach the tooth beneath a dental crown if patients develop gum disease, or if their crown becomes loosened. Patients are still at risk for developing cavities in this case.
Imbalanced Bite
Patients with an imbalanced bite created by crooked teeth or tooth damage may apply more pressure when biting and chewing on some teeth more than others. Dental crowns can sustain wear and damage like natural teeth, but a bite imbalance can create more wear or damage on crowns.
TMJ Disorders
We will not recommend crowns for patients with temporomandibular joint disorders (TMD). TMJ disorders are bite problems that can lead to teeth clenching and grinding or bruxism, which can occur consciously during sleep. TMD can create pain and damage natural teeth and dental crowns.
The force of your teeth grinding together can chip, crack, or wear down your crowns. If you begin to notice discomfort in your teeth or jaw, especially when eating hard or crunchy foods, contact us so we can examine your teeth and jaw. You may be developing a TMJ disorder.
Hard Foods and Objects
Bad habits like using your teeth to open objects or chewing on ice can increase your risk of damaging a dental crown and a natural tooth. Sometimes, eating super crunchy or hard foods can damage your crown. Refrain from these bad habits and be careful when you eat. You can avoid eating hard or crunchy foods with your dental crowns if possible.
Can You Fix a Damaged Dental Crown in Arlington Heights?
If you have a damaged crown, do not try to fix it alone. Contact our office, and we will either fix or replace your crown. We will repair the crown if the damage is not great enough to require a replacement. For example, if there is a small chip in your crown, we can clean the crown and apply composite resin to your restoration.
If you have a loose crown because your cement has lost its effectiveness, we can cement it in place. However, if you have more extensive tooth crown damage, we will recommend a crown replacement. We can create a new crown using our CEREC technology.
Do you have a damaged tooth crown? Call AH Smiles for treatment today at (847) 230-9703. Feel free to schedule a dental appointment with Dr. Brent Engelberg online.