How Long Do Crowns Last?
When a dentist recommends a dental crown to save teeth, it is important to follow the treatment instead of compromising your teeth’s strength and durability. Also, you may be concerned about the lifespan of a dental crown because it is also affected by wear and tear.
What is the purpose of a crown?
For people suffering from knocked, chipped, or stained teeth, a dentist recommends a crown to protect and reinforce a dental filling in such conditions. Because till last your dentist wanted to save your teeth instead of tooth extraction.
Dental crowns are custom-made tooth crowns that your dentist places to hide and protect your teeth from further infection.
However, sometimes infection reaches your teeth root; in such type of condition, the dentist does root canal treatment, in which they remove and cleans the dead pulp and seals it with dental cement, and finally places a dental crown over the treated teeth to increase its durability and longevity of the dental treatment.
How long do dental crowns last?
If your sleeping partner or family member tells you that you may grind or clench your teeth, your oral hygiene or diet may also have some chance of wear and tear. During sports or any routine activity, you may hurt your teeth. Therefore maintaining proper oral hygiene and avoiding such activities will increase the life of your crown.
A dental crown in your mouth plays an important role because some crowns may last for a lifeline, whereas others may crack or need to be replaced after some time. Dental crowns may last between 10 to 30 years with proper dental care.
How durable is a dental crown?
While crowns are one of the best ways to restore broken, fractured, chipped, or stained teeth, they provide a tooth-like look as well as functionality. Your dentist will ensure the crown fits well and is tight to your body, so there is no margin to trap food particles and plaque or tartar buildup. However, if the crown falls out due to losses or fitting problems, your dentist needs to replace your crown. Because the dentist can re-cement the old cap, but it may be able to make a few more years once that initial bonding is broken.
Therefore you should be cautious and follow all the instructions of your dentist and should not compromise dental practices such as brushing and flossing your teeth atleast twice a day and visiting your dentist for routine check-ups at least two times a year.
How Can I Extend the Lifespan of my Crown?
You should keep a few things in mind if you already have a dental crown. These include but are not limited to:
Bad habits: Regular grinding or clenching can hurt your teeth. Therefore if you have such a problem, you should wear a night guard to protect your crown and the integrity of your teeth.
Oral hygiene: You should not neglect your routine oral care, such as brushing and flossing your teeth, because it may lead to severe cavities and decay around your teeth.
Materials used: Metal crowns are more durable as compared to ceramic or porcelain. However, porcelain crowns are most commonly used, especially because of their aesthetic look.
How Do I Know When My Crown Needs Replacing?
- If you experience any pain and swelling around a crowned tooth.
- If your crown is very old and got torn.
- The gums around your teeth are receding and inflamed
- Your bite feels different
How much do dental crowns cost?
Dental crowns near me range between $500 to 3000 per tooth, but it may also depend on various factors such as location, period of your treatment, and dental appliance quality. For instance, porcelain crowns may cost between $800 to $1400 per tooth. And metal crowns, gold allow, and mix may cost you $800 to $2500.
Conclusion
The most common reason dentists use dental crowns is to protect weak and damaged teeth from decay. This also prevents further cracks and holds your tooth together. If you are still confused about dental crowns, visit your dentist to know the pros and cons of dental crowns before and after.