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

[DorsetGal]

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

MrsMorton can I gatecrash and ask for a description of a partial plate ?

www.nhs.uk/conditions/dentures/Pages/Introduction.aspx

Covers it fairly well.

You need to ask specific questions, it takes five years to train to be a dentist, I could start anywhere and fill this thread up to a thousand posts describing all aspects of removable partial dentures!!

Happy to answer questions though

sorry about my non specific question .happy to acknowledge my lack of knowledge .

I even appreciate that you have to have a certain amount of knowledge to know what questions to ask .
Not going to apologise for my ignorance though .

Thank you for link .

wonder why dentist never mentioned possibility of partial plate when my molar and pre molar removal means I can't eat on one side of my mouth .?

Oh well .

I wasn't expecting you to apologise and I don't think you're ignorant but someone must have mentioned this appliance to you for you to have mentioned it.

It would be like saying "tell me about geography" where do you start? If you said tell me about a level geography at least there would be a clue as to what you wanted to know. I dont know if you are a dental student or a patient with a partial denture or anything!

Have you asked your dentist about them? Sometimes we get put off mentioning expensive treatments because people seem to by default assume that we fancy a new car. It may be that you're not suitable for a partial denture. Lots of reasons. Without seeing you it's impossible to tell.

MrsMorton, I've just had a very old crown come out, apparently it couldn't be put back, and I had the rest of the tooth removed, but it leaves a big gap. My dentist more or less airily dismissed a denture, in favour of an implant ( very expensive). Have dentures got any better since the days when my dear old Dad had his in the 70's?
I am interested in knowing if it's an option if only to save wear and tear on the remaining teeth. It's at the side of my mouth and not noticeable when I smile.

Did he say why he didn't want to do a denture? You don't need every space filling and if it's just one tooth on the denture, the potential damage to the rest of your teeth and gums may mean it's not the best idea (we often call them gum strippers but if they are designed well then there's no need for them to affect the gums)

Dentures on the lower arch are fraught with difficulties, a little ditty we had:
Dentures are brilliant
Dentures are right
The top one is perfect
The bottom one's shite

There's lots to consider. Have you thought about getting a second opinion?
How old are you? Do you smoke?

I don't smoke, I am 56, and I did consider a second opinion.
I just wondered if dentures had improved over the years.

Oh, and I have enough bone for an implant, but the cost seems so high!

They are expensive but they are amazing. Dentures haven come on too far because implsnts have taken over IYSWIM so no one puts too much effort in.
I like making dentures and I see a space in the market for those who don't want it can't afford dentures.

Second opinion then? Or ask him specifically why not a partial denture