I am having crowns replaced on 4 front teeth. My dentist yanked on the crown because it wasn’t coming off and I felt my left front tooth crack. He says that the tooth is okay and there is nothing to worry about. It has another crown on it. I am already nervous about going to the dentist so after he got the crown on, I asked him to stop. I am worried that the same thing might happen for the other 3 teeth, so I need to reschedule. Is this normal or was my dentist too rough? Thank you. Sara
Sara – If a crown is separated into pieces and gently removed from the tooth, it is unlikely that the tooth will crack. Some dentists use a crown removing cube made of pliable resin. The resin is softened, and after you bite down on it, hardened with cold water. The resin sticks to porcelain and as you bite up and down, the porcelain loosens from your tooth.
Your dentist may have used another technique. You can choose to ask your dentist why your tooth broke, and if there is an underlying problem with removing the crowns that may cause another tooth to break. You can also seek a second opinion from a gentle dentist and ask how he or she would remove the crowns without damaging your teeth.
This post is sponsored by Baton Rouge dentist Dr. Steven Collins of Sherwood Dental Care.