We know your feelings when you hear you’ll need a dental crown replacement treatment to save your damaged tooth! Similarly, after this solution, you need to walk that extra mile to maintain your crowns to extend their lifespan.
However, with time, your crowns would start getting signs of aging. This is when you know you need to bid goodbye to this old friend. So watch out for the signs that indicate your dental crowns need replacement. In addition, we have added a few tips to help you extend your crown’s longevity.
The Average Lifespan of Dental Crowns
Custom-fitted dental crowns generally last up to 15 years on average. Since manufacturers make modern-day crowns using durable and resilient materials like metal alloys or porcelain, they can last longer. In addition, they are capable of withstanding regular wear and tear, thus letting you enjoy their services for a few more years.
However, like any other thing in life, dental crowns are not immune to damage or destruction. They can suffer damage as time passes by and hence, need replacement.
5 Warning Signs That Your Dental Crowns Need Replacement!
Watch out for these warning signs that show your crowns need to get replaced urgently.
- Pain or Swelling: Any swelling or pain in and around your crowns may indicate an improperly placed or faulty height. These issues may result in severe conditions like infection, inflammation, or other dental discomforts. Inform your dentist about any such signs urgently.
- Receding Gum Line: If you notice receding gaps in your gum line, it signals that your crown has become loose and is incorrectly bonded. Such incorrect dental crown positions may also cause bacterial accumulation in and around the tooth base, causing dental infections.
- Wear and Tear: If you notice signs of your crowns becoming torn or worn, you need to see your dentist immediately. This issue may be especially prevalent among individuals with bad habits like teeth grinding or clenching. Such actions may increase the pressure on your crowns, thus causing premature wear and tear.
- Cracking or Chipping: Similar to wear and tear, your ceramic porcelain crowns are subject to cracking or chipping as they age. Bring this issue to your dentist’s attention so they can treat it immediately. The earlier, the better!
- Reduced Facial Aesthetics: If you have porcelain-fused-with-metal crowns, you may see dark lines along your teeth with time. This happens when the crown’s metal becomes visible. You would require a new peak in such a case to bring back your beautiful and natural smile.
Don’t worry; your dentist will alert you when they may see the warning signs.
Tips to Increase the Lifespan of Your Dental Crowns
The good news is that you can increase your crowns’ longevity by being careful. Here are some helpful tips to extend your crown’s lifespan.
- Change some habits: Do you practice chronic teeth grinding or clenching, or biting or chewing complex objects, such as ice, fingernails, or hard candies? Or do you often go to bed without brushing or flossing correctly? If you can relate, it’s time to let go of these bad habits. To ensure your crowns last a few more years, brush and floss at least twice daily, especially before bedtime.
- Use night guard: To help you cope with teeth grinding, especially while asleep, you can use custom-made night guards to act as a buffer or cushion against such shocks or forceful grinding and clenching habits.
- See your dentist regularly: Another best solution to increase the lifetime of your crowns is to visit your dentist regularly, or as scheduled, to keep updated on your dental health. In addition, your dentist occasionally performs cleaning sessions to keep your crowns healthy and free from bacterial accumulation.
- Cut down on sugary foods: Even if you have a sweet tooth, we suggest you avoid excessively sugary foods immediately after getting your dental crowns. Instead, talk to your dentist to ask for a healthy diet chart you would need to follow for a few months after the procedure.
- Address ill-fitted crowns promptly: Improperly-fitted crowns are prone to faster chipping off, thus resulting in breakages and damages sooner. Make sure you deal with such issues without delay to enjoy healthy crowns for longer.
Can I get Invisalign Aligners with Crowns?
If you are looking forward to undergoing Invisalign treatment, make sure your crowns are healthy and well-fitted in their place. The Invisalign technology is helpful in aligning your teeth’ structure when you have dental crowns. So, yes, you can go ahead with your invisible aligners after completing all your dental crown procedures. Discuss with your Invisalign Lubbock dental team the right time to get them and whether you are eligible for these aligners.
Conclusion
To conclude, just because your crown has served you for quite some time now doesn’t mean they need replacement. Sometimes, being extra careful and avoiding those bad habits may help your crowns last longer. Consult with the best dentist in Lubbock to stay updated on how well your crowns are doing and when you may need to replace them.