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Original poster

Replacing crowns? Questions, worries .....any experience please.

36 replies

DorsetGal · 16/01/2014 09:57

My 2 top central incisors are crowned due to a childhood accident. the crowns have been on for about 20 years and , TBH, look crap now (different colour to other teeth, margins starting to show, teeth have obviously shifted at some point which means crowns at slightly odd angle etc).

My concerns about having them replaced are:

  • I don't like going to the dentist at the best of times
  • I dread that feeling of them pulling off the old crowns (I even hate the feeling of when they pull the stuff off they use to make impressions). It gives me palpitations thinking about it.
  • I'm scared that when these crowns come off that the post of original tooth underneath will snap off or be damaged/not strong enough to hold a new crown (probably my worst fear of all). What would my options be then?!
  • dentist said I'd have to have temporary crowns for up to 6 months to allow the gums etc to settle. I dread what these will look like or them falling out (aren't temp. crowns renowned for this?)
  • what if new crowns are a nightmare and give me grief or fall out. In 20 years these have never come out.

I just wish I could be knocked out under a GA and come round to find new crowns in place, job done!

Can anyone advise? Has anyone had similar done? Thanks

OP posts:
Original poster
DorsetGal · 16/01/2014 16:02

bump

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Original poster
DorsetGal · 16/01/2014 19:18

anyone?

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Original poster
DorsetGal · 16/01/2014 20:31

another desperate bump

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Original poster
DorsetGal · 17/01/2014 15:42

still hoping someone can advise...

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AMumInScotland · 17/01/2014 15:56

I had a crown on my second incisor, which I had replaced. The new one was fine and lasted well. Then I had a third replacement and after a few years it started to fall out, as the root was cracked and sort of 'let go' of the post. So now I have a bridge - ie they took the root out and the 'crown' is actually attached to the next tooth along.

Temporary crown looked ok, but I didn't have to have it for 6 months, only quite temporary. But I guess it dpeends what state the roots are in. When I had the bridge done, I had 6 months with a partial denture to let the gum recover. That looked perfectly nice, though I didn't like the idea and it took a bit of getting used to.

I guess it depends just how unhappy you are with the current ones.

Also, do talk through what could go wrong and what the options would be - he might be able to tell you if a bridge would be available or not, depending on your other teeth. Personally, I'd be happier going through with it (and talk about sedation if you hate it?) if I knew a bridge was available if the post couldn't hold for a new crown. But then I'd take crap-looking but functioning teeth over a denture any day!

Original poster
DorsetGal · 17/01/2014 17:19

Thank you for replying.

When they took the root out and you had the temporary denture, were you left with a gap at any point? I mean, when they remove the original tooth post/root what actually happens? Do they fit a temporary denture there and then as I couldn't leave the surgery without anything there Shock.

The dentist did say that worse case scenario ( ie. teeth under crown damaged or unsuitable) would involve a plate (which I presume is a partial denture??) and then probably a bridge. Or of course an implant but that wouldn't be available on the NHS.

Like you I would hate a denture - I'm only in my 40s Sad

OP posts:
AMumInScotland · 17/01/2014 20:20

There was never any point when I didn't have 'teeth' there, except earlier because of the original crown dropping out when I spoke!

I'm trying to remember the sequence - they took an impression and made a temporary crown, then next appointment they removed the root and put the temporary crown on, then I think a week or so later the partial denture (that'll be what he called the plate) was ready. Or maybe the plate was ready when they took the root out - my memory is useless!

You'd have to check with yours, but they might be able to have the denture ready before they take the crown off, since yours isn't already falling out and causing problems - I'm really not sure if the temporary crown was just because of the original one coming loose.

But anyway, they never had to leave me with a gap.

6 months later... they did another impression and made the bridge, then fitted it when it was ready.

The dentist said some people get on fine with the denture once they got used to it (I really, really hated it for the first few days!) and decided not to have anything else done. But like you - 40s. Totally not ready for a denture!

NatashaBee · 17/01/2014 20:29

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
DorsetGal · 18/01/2014 10:15

Thanks for replying Natasha.

If it came to it I would pay for implants somehow but my problem is not wanting all the work going on in my mouth in the first place and don't implants take lots of intense work over a long period of time, with various temporary fixes in between?

I don't mind having crowns (would rather them than a denture!), I'm just afraid that replacing these current ones may cause problems with what's going on underneath them which may result in a crown no longer being an option IYSWIM

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Aquelven · 18/01/2014 14:30

My two top front teeth were crowned in my teens following an accident.
They were fine for years. Then suddenly one shattered & broke.
The dentist I was seeing at the time removed what bit of it was still remaining & said the root had died. He said it would be better to remove both instead of one so they still matched & he was introducing a new type of expensive ones for his private patients, a porcelain jacket over a base of gold for strength, but I could have them on the NHS if I agreed as it was the first time he'd used them....I'd be his guinea pig!
I agreed & they were much nicer than my old ones. He had to drill out the dead root & put in an implant to carry one but the other stump was still ok.

They lasted for twenty years, no problem, till the one that had been applied to the stump suddenly sheared off at gum level. The root of that had died & broken away. My new dentist, old one had retired, put in another implant & re attached the crown which was still like new in itself.
Although I'm a NHS patient she advised me to have the work done privately as it would be cheaper! On the NHS it would have cost over £200 but she did it privately for £120. No I don't really understand that either, it was something to do with NHS price brackets.

At no time in either case was I left with a gap. I was always given temporary crowns & only had to wait two weeks in all from first seeing the dentist about it to having the work completed.

Mrsmorton · 18/01/2014 14:44

Are you definitely talking about implants here aquel because that sounds more like post crowns to me.

Implants where a titanium sub structure is placed into your jaw bone and the gum sewn up while it heals and then a healing screw is put on and the gum reshaped and then a crown put on top?

Mrsmorton · 18/01/2014 14:46

Implants around £2k per tooth. Not available in general practice on the NHS.

Original poster
DorsetGal · 18/01/2014 14:50

When it shears off at the gum how do they attach a crown?

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Mrsmorton · 18/01/2014 15:02

With a post into the canal that the nerve lived in. If it's totally off at gum level, these have a poor prognosis. Ideally you need a few mm of tooth above the gum to provide stability.

Original poster
DorsetGal · 18/01/2014 15:11

How reliable are Xrays in showing what state the tooth underneath a crown is MrsMorton?

Would it be obvious if the stump/post of tooth was likely to be a problem when the old crowns come off?

It just worries me that anything could be under those crowns after 20 years!

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Mrsmorton · 18/01/2014 15:13

It's hard to see things like fractures on an x ray but if the crowns are doing ok and just don't look nice then one would assume all is well.

Original poster
DorsetGal · 18/01/2014 15:17

How would you know if all wasn't well?

(BTW Thank you MrsMorton and everyone else for your replies, it is very much appreciated. My mind is just so preoccupied with all this. I can think/worry about little else )

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Mrsmorton · 18/01/2014 15:37

DO you mean when you take the crown off or before? If before, the crown micght come out regularly (this should never happen really if it's been done properly). The gum might be sore or swollen or with a sinus (pustule) in it. The tooth would be tender to tap on.

Original poster
DorsetGal · 19/01/2014 10:39

Yes I meant before, so that's quite reassuring.

Is it unusual for crowns to be on as long as mine have without being replaced (about 20 years) ?

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Mrsmorton · 19/01/2014 10:52

Not really, if they were done properly they can last decades. It's so variable though.

Original poster
DorsetGal · 19/01/2014 11:01

That's also a little bit reassuring (all this is helping me build up the courage, thank you).

I think the bit that terrifies me most is what will happen if I go for the crown-prep and the dentist removes these old ones only for the ones underneath to be damaged/unsuitable.

What will actually happen there and then that moment? He can't just rustle up a plate or bridge there and then so what will happen. What will I leave the surgery with?

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Mrsmorton · 19/01/2014 11:31

You can usually rustle something up "for decoration" i.e something that will stop you looking like a pirate. Partial dentures can be made for next day. Depending on the other teeth, it can be possible to make a bridge straight away. Sadly a lot of this will come down to whether you're NHS or private.

I can make an immediate bridge using fibre technology in about 45min but the material costs about £60 so it's simply impossible to do on the NHS because I would be paying out of my own pocket to do it. A denture would be a lot cheaper in terms of time and material but you would have to wait.

Original poster
DorsetGal · 19/01/2014 17:56

Good to know that I hopefully won't find myself rocking the pirate look!

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Mrsmorton · 19/01/2014 18:22

Have you got a parrot?

Original poster
DorsetGal · 19/01/2014 18:43

No but I do a great 'aaaaarrrrrrrrgh' Grin

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