A reader recently asked me if it was possible to get a cavity on a tooth once it has been crowned. Although it seems logical that a crown covering the tooth would prevent this, that is not the case. A tooth with a crown can get a cavity!
Can You Get a Cavity on a Tooth With a Crown?
When a dentist makes a crown for you, he or she will remove all of the tooth decay or cavity that was present. The dentist then cuts around the whole tooth so that a crown can fit over the remaining tooth structure and still appear to be a normal-sized tooth. The crown/tooth interface is usually right around the gum-line.
That means that you still have tooth structure in your mouth that is below the crown. If you aren’t brushing and flossing to remove the plaque that lives under the gum-line, you can get another cavity on the same tooth.
What Happens When You Get a Cavity on a Tooth With a Crown?
When you get a cavity on a tooth with a crown, there are a few things that can happen:
1 – If the cavity goes too close to the pulp, you may have to have a root canal done if you haven’t had one yet.
2 – You may need a procedure done known as crown lengthening. Crown lengthening means taking away some of the bone that supports your tooth so that there is room for the dentist to remove all of the cavity and still prepare the tooth for a crown.
3 – You may have to have the tooth pulled if the decay has spread too far into the tooth.
4 – If you keep the tooth, you will most likely need a new crown made.
The procedures listed abovet are all quite costly (aside from pulling the tooth.) Hopefully that will motivate you to keep your crowned teeth clean and in pristine condition!
Conclusion
Do you have any questions, comments, or experiences to share about crowned teeth and tooth decay? Leave them in the comments section below. Thanks for reading!
If you had had a root canal and then a crown on top, is it possible to see a cavity under the crown?
Hi Nancy – When you get a cavity under the crown of a tooth, sometimes you can see the cavity, sometimes you can’t.
It’s important to keep in mind that many crowns have metal underneath the tooth-colored porcelain so if you see a dark line around the edge of the crown, it could just be the metal shining through, and not a cavity.
I hope that helps! Let me know if you have any other questions. Thanks for your comment, Nancy.
What about the fact that I have had a root canal first?
The reason I ask is because I went to my regular dentist (I was going to this dentist for 10 years every 6 months) approximately 2 months ago. My dentist said all was good no cavities and then I received a cleaning.
Unforturnately, my dentist is no longer accepting my insurance and so I was given a new dentist. I went to the new dentist the next month just to see how he was since I did not have anything wrong and I wanted to see him in case I did have a problem later.First of all they took exrays of my entire mouth and then the new dentist told me that I may or may not have a cavity under one of my caps on the right side of my lower mouth and one on the other side of my mouth on bottom also. He said he could not tell until he took the caps off…
I called my insurance company to ask for another dentist and was given another dentist this at the end of April.. This dentist also took exrays of my entire mouth and then told me I need a deep cleaning (which I never had before) because it looked like something was under two teeth on one side and then some other teeth but with a deep cleaning this could go away. The dentist said after the cleaning we would wait two weeks to see how it looked and I might not need any caps removed.
I said can I have the cleaning done that day (to get it over with since I never had one before). I had the deep cleaning and then the dentist told me to come back and have the tooth on the bottom of my one side should be done right away because it was a bad cavity under the cap with a root canal. Which contradicted what she told me an hour before she did the cleaning.
I went home really confused. I have not gone back since the cleaning as I do not trust these dentist since all of sudden I have all these things wrong when two months ago my mouth was a clean heathy mouth with great gums.
Thank you.
Hi Nancy – Even if you’ve had a root canal, you can still get decay under the crown. The root canal procedure removes the infected pulp from the tooth and cleans the inside of the tooth, but it is still possible that plaque in your mouth can attack the tooth from the outside and get underneath the crown.
Unfortunately I can’t tell you what’s going on since I haven’t seen you in person, but here’s some of my impressions:
Some dentists neglect to evaluate the health of the gums during their exams. The result is that there is a lot of undiagnosed gum disease (periodontal disease.) In fact, undiagnosed gum disease is one of the main reasons that people end up filing lawsuits against their dentists. It’s possible that you are in the initial stages of getting gum disease and this third dentist wanted to clean the roots of those teeth to be able to better see if there was a cavity under the crown. Once she got it clean, it sounds like she was fairly certain that there was a cavity under the crown.
Here’s what I would do if I were you:
Since you’ve had two full mouth series of x-rays taken, I would get copies of both of those x-rays from the two dentists and go back to your original dentist for an exam (if you trust him/her – if not, try to find a new dentist.) It sounds like your insurance company may not be paying your dentists very much so that is why your original dentist dropped them. When insurance companies aren’t paying very much for exams, sometimes unethical dentists will recommend treatment that you don’t really need in order to make more money. It is my hope that this is a fairly rare occurrence, but I’ve seen some unnecessary dental work done before.
In any case, at this dentist, show him/her both sets of x-rays. You may have to pay the fee for the exam, but just tell them that all you want is an exam and to know what needs to be done.
If it doesn’t look like there is decay around the crowns and the crown/tooth interface feels smooth, then there probably isn’t a reason to replace the crowns. In order for bacteria to get under the crown, it has to find a way in. If the crown and root canals are sealed well, then it wouldn’t be possible for bacteria to get inside and cause a cavity.
I’m sorry that you’re having a tough time with your dentists. I hope that helps. Let me know if you have any other questions. Thanks for your comment, Nancy!
Hello Tom and Nancy,
I am writing to u, because I went to my Dentist yesterday and showed him my crown was loose. After, taking x-rays…they pulled the crown off and poked it with one of those sharp instruments, they have and I must say that they stuck it in there…pretty good, because it stuck…like it would stand on its own, almost. They told me that I needed the tooth
I didn’t know what to think. I told them that I have already been experiencing numbness all along my left jaw and that a couple of Docs have made reference to some small pea-like area( I think the parotid gland)…or so I was lead to believe that it was noticeable enough, to point it out.
Anyway, he finally told me that my tooth would have to be extracted (pulled) and left the room. Then, the tears began to fall, because I didn’t want to lose another tooth and had already experienced “dry socket”, with the very same tooth (molar) on the other side of my mouth. I had it for 2 months and IT was very painful. IT caused me to be upset and was all that I could think @ at that time.:((
As, I was reading Nancy’s post…I realized that I had just been there @ 3 or 4 months earlier and got my teeth cleaned, at the same Dentist, but they didn’t tell me that my CAP was loose. They just cleaned and I went home. I didn’t know that the cap was loose or I would have had it fixed right away.
Maybe the fact that I was numb, could’ve been the reason why I did not feel it, but they should have told me that, when I got my teeth cleaned. I think, they should have noticed it back when I had my teeth cleaned. I couldn’t help the fact that I couldn’t feel it or know that it was there, because I was numb. I seem to get number, when I get excited or upset and I wonder why that is? I need to make sure everything is alright and do I need to get that Dentist to fix it or should I go see a Maxiliofacial Surgeon-sp?) This Dentist even questioned that I was numb and used his dental (metal) pic to check, by poking it into my gums. It didn’t hurt, but I felt it and there was blood taste in my mouth from where he poked me. (?? WT-heck??)
I have been trying to get a dx, but still waiting on the answer. I have a lot of jaw pain and numbness, electrical type pain and a tight feeling that comes and goes. I had a bone-spur removed back in ’88, on my left jaw and I wondered if, I could possibly have Trigeminal Neuralgia? There has to be some kind of reason that I am going through what I am. I also, have left arm pain/numbness/tingling, but my left leg does it too and both of my legs hurt…so, do my feet. Hmmm?
I wasn’t told that the tooth was loose… until yesterday and the fact that they failed to mention it, at the teeth cleaning really bothers me, but still they should have told me something…I think. What do u think Tom? I really need some sense of direction. IF, it is my jaw or teeth…or anything u can think of, please tell me.
Thank u, Karen
If I have a deep cavity, are they able to just put a crown over it or what do they do b4 they put crown on it. A filling won’t work cuz it’s to deep. Thanks
Please help me find the answer I’m look n for thanks
I also have a question like what was just answered. I have a crown (4 years) on top of a root canaled tooth. Went for a cleaning and to my surprise the dentist said I have a little (pin head size) in my crown. I am glad you had mentioned the metal you see inside the porcelain crown. Am very concerned, going to an endontist for a consult. Insurance won’t pay for new crown till next year. I am hoping to last that long.
Tom,
First of all, I admire the dedication you have to your career. I had 9 (maybe 10 now) crowns in a span of 2 years. My dentist said the fillings I received when I was a child (I’m 45 now) were large and deep causing the teeth to crumble. The last visit I decided to just have the tooth pulled, as it was in the very back. After all of the crowns and 2 bridges I could not help but notice the new $50,000 truck he was driving. Any suggestions or opinions on implants? I know they are costly, but wouldn’t it be a more permanent investment? I can’t imagine replacing any of these crowns, with crowns, only to have the threat of going through this yet again. I really try to take good care of my teeth, but I feel like it’s a losing battle. The pain I’ve had has sent my mind to the unthinkable thought of “Wouldn’t dentures just be easier?”. Just kidding. Thanks again for setting up this blog, and I wish you the best through your career!
Hi Brenda – Thanks! A quality crown that is taken care of should last at least 10 years. If you need crowns replaced that you just got, it might be a good idea to ask your dentist why they need to be replaced so quickly and what you can do to prevent them from deteriorating so quickly the next time around.
Implants are a good option to replace missing teeth. At my dental school, we charge about $1000 for the implant, and another $1000 for the crown on top of it for a total of about $2,000 per implant. In private practice you would probably be looking at $2500 to $5000 depending on where you are located.
Personally, if I had a tooth that could be saved with a crown, I would do that rather than having the tooth pulled and an implant placed. The best teeth you will ever have are the ones that your body made for you.
I hope that helps. Thanks for your kind words, Brenda! Let me know if you have any other questions.
Thanks Tom…looks like you headed me in the right direction. Most of the crowns are at least 10 years old, but I did lose one bridge after about 3 years due to a tooth crumbling. I have a new dentist now since I moved so I’ll see what she can do for me. Thanks again!
I had a problem tooth, where the filling kept cracking and falling out. 3 times. So, I got a cap over the tooth, but sometimes when I chew it hurts, like the filling is loose underneath it again. What do I do, I don’t have the money to have more work done, the cap cost me 1,200 dollars.
Hi Jo – It could be that the tooth is slightly loose. Sometimes you can get inflammation of the ligament around the tooth. If it is hurting when you chew, that is usually a sign of a cracked tooth or a problem with the ligament. If you got your crown recently, it could be that it is too high. You might want to have your dentist look at it and see if it’s too high or try to figure out the cause of the pain.
If it is the crown, I doubt that the dentist would charge you for fixing it, since there was a problem with the work that you already paid for.
I hope that helps. Let me know if you have any other questions. Thanks for your comment, Jo!
hi i have a question i’ve been having problems with one of my tooths i had a root canal 6 years ago, but i actually never got the crown. it was just ready for the crown, but recently its been hurting me and when i drink cold water or even by smiling the air bothers me so bad and it hurts. i been to 2 dentists already and none of them know exactly whats going on they have both taken xrays and one of them said that it was the tooth right next to the one i had the rootcanal done so she did a filling for me so i tought that was it but NO 2 days ago it started to hurt again but its that tooth that i had that root canal done because even when i touch mu tooth it hurts, What can i do?? please help it hurts alot and those dentist dont even know what they are doing?? i was thinking of just having them extract that tooth since i feel its my only option. what do you think i can do? thanx
Hi Erika – If the tooth had a temporary filling in it after the root canal was done, my guess is that over the last six years, the temporary filling leaked a little bit and the root canal got re-infected. If that’s the case, then the root canal would need to be done again.
I hope that helps – Thanks for your comment, Erika. Let me know if you have any other questions.
Hi I had a cap put over a tooth some 15 years no root canal and today I wake up with extreme paim to that tooth and swelling to my cheek. Best option to have it pulled?
Hi Traci – You may be able to save the tooth. You’ll have to go see a dentist to figure out what the problem is and how severe it is. The worst-case scenario is that you would have to have the tooth pulled, but a root canal may be able to save it.
I hope that helps, Traci – Thanks for your comment! Let me know if you have any other questions.
I had a crown done 2 years ago…. it’s now hurting like hell. My insurance changed and the dentist who did the work no longer covers me. Is 2 years too long to make them fix this current issue. Seems 2 years is a short time to have pain in the same tooth!
Hi Shannan – Many times, teeth that get cut for crowns end up needing a root canal somewhere down the road. Two years is a short time – it wouldn’t hurt to call the dentist and see if they’d be willing to simply take a look at it and let you know what’s going on.
I hope that helps – Let me know if you have any other questions. Thanks for your comment, Shannan!
Hi Tom,
I recently switched to a new dentist after my former dentist retired. After a check-up at the new dentist, one of the two crowns in my mouth appears to not fit quite right. This explains why I have had some soreness around that crowned tooth and some bleeding only around that one tooth when I floss. This crown was put on my tooth only about 3 years ago (after a root canal was done on the tooth underneath it). So my question is: is it normal that there is decay underneath this crown so soon after it was put on (I am guessing this is due to the ill-fitted crown)? More importantly, is there any hope of getting my former (retired) dentist to fix this crown, rather than having to pay out of my pocket to get it fixed? What is the best way to go about this?
Thanks for answering these questions! Even just reading your responses to other people has taught me more about dental care.
-Tania
Hi Tania – You could try to get in touch with this dentist, but I’m not sure if you could get your old dentist to pay for a new one. Crowns can fail for a variety of reasons. Normally they do last much longer than 3 years, so I would say that it’s not normal for the tooth to get decay so soon after getting the crown. It could be due to an ill-fitting crown or the anatomy of your tooth which made it more difficult to clean.
I hope that helps – Let me know if you have any other questions. Thanks for your comment, Tania!
hello, I’m a 53 year old male. in the past, I lost a couple of crowns due to decay forming below the crown. While the dentist tried to save the last one, there wasn’t enough tooth left to save it, and after just spending $1,100 for a root canal, the tooth needed to be extracted and replaced by an implant. The hygenist suggested using a special toothpaste with added calcium that would hopefully prevent this from happening again. All seemed good until 2 weeks ago, when I went for my exam, and the dentist said I had another crown (this one having been root canaled) that was decayed beneath. At best, it could be saved with a new crown, and at worst, it would have to be pulled. It looks like I’m going to have to have it pulled, and I’m really discouraged. Implants, with a new crown run over $4,000, for a single tooth. What can do to prevent this from happening again? I brush at least 2x a day with electric toothbrush, use a plaque rinse, water pick morning and night, and rinse with each flouoride rinse (mornings) and antiseptic rinse (nights). thanks
There is a substance that is growing out from under my crown. The crown came off and it is an old crown. The substance is like stringy stuff and its is coming out of the area where the crown was. Can anyone tell me if they have ever heard of this. I have no pain, no odd smell, just this stringy stuff handing out from where the crown was. ??? Help !
Hello,
I would like to first thank you very much for the effort you have put into this. I ahve been researching about oral hygiene, and issues that directly relate to oral health, and never seem to come to a concrete conclusion because of the many information available. I would like to say that your website provides the mass public with a great deal of awareness is is accurate.
Today, since we have, many tools at our disposition we tend to upload rubbish on numerous sites, and hope some ignorant person will be lured into the information and spread it.
It’s a shame, in a sense that you think you can trust the information presented but then you find some finding that states otherwise…
Anyways, my question would be…I have had a root canal done around 4 years aga, I have gone to many dentists that tell me to go get it retreated…It doesn’t hurt, but my new dentist is observing it now more closely to see any signs of infection or abcess. I was suppose to get a crown on it, because only half the tooth still remains? If I don’t get a crown anytime soon what will happen to the tooth, and the do I need to retreat the root canal? Also, can this cause my front teeth to be in pain, if there is no sign of cavity, cracks, or weakness in enamel? It’s a little sensitve but not always, just when I think about it, I avoid cold water, stopped drinking herbal tea ( because it is said to be bad for your teeth, I don’t drink pop, only water and rice milk, soy milk sometimes)
Another questions, I had IV sedation when I got my wisdom teeth removed ( 3), how long do I have to wait before I can go under IV sedation for another tooth treatment?
Last question, I have read about scaling and everyone states you need one every 6 months, in other cases you might need more than that? Is there such thing, as having too many scalings done in a year?
Sorry one more question, can you avoid cavaties, if you brush your teeth after every meal, and eat cheese when you eat something acidic or sweets etc, is it possible to avoid cavaties?
Thank you so much,
Keep up the good work, and good luck in dental school.
I’m trying to apply so good luck to me 🙂
Hello,
I hope you can help me. I have gotten crowns before, with root canal and without, and they never hurt or fell out, but they would cause a terrible odor in my mouth. I always flossed and brushed but still would have the odor. I eventually needed to get the crowns (and teeth) extracted. Odor was gone.
Now I have a molar that had a break. They wanted to put on a crown, but due to my bad past experiences I begged them for a filling hoping it would work. It did, but now I have pain in the tooth. I know they’re going to say I’ll need a crown, but since I don’t know why I get that odor I don’t know what to do. I don’t want to pull the tooth, but if I get the RC,crown and have the odor, I’ll need to get it pulled anyway.
What causes that odor? Is it that the crown doesn’t fit right or something else?
i have the same problems as Brenda. i have lost all respect for dentists. i know they have to make a living, but do i have to be their breadwinner , at the expense of my teeth?
i have had 8 crowns in the last 10 years . insurance only covers one a year, and i couldnt afford to pay for any more at one time. one crown fell off, he recemented it , the 2 days later it broke in half.
i went back and he told me to stop throwing money at that tooth and have it pulled. theb he told me i could get an implant from his partner.
i went to another dentist to get a second oppinion. he said he could replace that crown, he than told me that the other dentist didnt do a good job on my crowns. next he said i have cavities under all my crowns and he could take care of those cavities—-for $1500. a tooth !
i am just a money machine to dentists
did the other dentist show you x-rays that showed the decay?
my dentist showed me x-rays, of crowns he put on, that decayed had eaten away all the dentin under. He thought he could save both teeth, one crown potentially needing to be replaced, the other he thought he could save entirely. Once he removed the crowns, he told me both would need to be pulled. He suggested implants (my doesn’t sends people to a nonaffiliated oral surgeon). Bottom line, $9,500 for two teeth. So, if you have true decay and can save teeth for $1,500 each, that’s a “bargain.”
I have several cowns and I have experienced breath odor for three years. I have sought dentists, gasto, and physicisans and all have given me a clean bill of health. What can
u try now?
I
^Sorry, I had a glitch.
It’s been my experience you need to get them out to stop the odor. You can try having them all replaced with new crowns. Crowns always do this to me.
My dentist recently told me that a crown on one of my teeth has a small cavity. He didn’t show me the ex-ray, however, only being a patient and not familiar with what a small cavity looks like I wouldn’t be in a position to verify if there was a cavity. Also, I find it rather strange that I haven’t felt any discomfort with tooth. Usually, when there is a cavity doesn’t one experience some discomfort? In taking care of the cavity does this usually require a new crown to be placed on the existing tooth?
Thank you.
Help! Going to endodentist this week and he wants to remove tooth for an implant. He did say he could try to save tooth but said it may not last. It is tooth #30 which has one cracked root. Can’t he remove or repair root and replace crown. Really want to keep my tooth. It is the only crown that I have. With a four year old child and busy life, do not want to lose a tooth and have my mouth go downhill.
Can it be saved?
I had a cap put on one of my front teeth . and what happened is I had fell on that tooth I went to the dentist because it hurt real bad he took x-ray of it and saw i guess a legament little brused the pain isnt as bad as when I hit it and its been about a month now but I feel a little pinch or like numb feeling I can tolarate it. just eratating. I was wondering could I have cracked the tooth under the cap and he couldnt see it on exray. Im going back to the dentist on may 1st I’m so scared that if I tell him to remove the cap and do a root canal that my tooth will fall apart. and then they cant do nothing to save the tooth. I’m so scared oh when he took x-ray on the tooth he pulled and he pulled and tugged at the tooth with the cap and it didnt hurt. even though it was injured. I dont have the money to spend thousnads of dollars but I’m so scared and im on a program called carington. which helps alot but still. I can brush the tooth I can chew with it. it just feels irritated i guess . god I hope I made scence.
The joy of reading about root canals. I have one crown and it seems to have started hurting pretty bad the last couple of weeks. Unfortunately I haven’t been to a dentist in about a year and have not had an x-ray since the crown was installed. Like another poster, I have terrible grinding issues and recently tried to put in my night guard and it seemed to hurt worse.
I need to have an x-ray and have a dentist take a look.
My question is, could my new crown be misaligned a degree or so that when I wear the night guard it puts stress on the crown?
I am cursing myself for not having insurance now. I just put a little 99c store sensodyne type toothpaste on it and it seems to be better, for now…
Heaven help me if I need a root canal. NOTE – when the dentist did the crown he thought long and hard about whether or not he might need to do a root canal. I sure hope he wasn’t wrong the first time…
I had a couple of crowns that had been temporarily cemented for nine months due to “cold sensitivity.”
They are about to be removed and then permanently cemented into place.
In doing so, do the crowns need to be carefully cleaned (sanitized) before permanently cementing them into place or is it impossible for bacteria to survive inside the crown without oxygen? Does the cement have an anti-bacterial component to it?
Thanks in advance for your prompt response. Sincerely,
Alan
I’ve had capps put on my front teeth twice.the first ones looked like chalk the second had one tooth longer than the other one. i am getting new capps and i just got the temporary ones and now the distance between my lip and nose is longer. it has changed my appearance, which i don’t like is there anything i can do about it now before the permanent one are put on. thanks
Hello, I have 2 questions
Does this letter I am going to send to my dentist sound like malpractice,
Hello, my name is Fran [last name removed], I used to be a patient of yours and your father’s
I had a crown put on by you about 10-12 years ago, I had chipped a small part of my tooth near or under this crown months ago I also had abcess from the gum around this tooth on and off for a little while. when I went to the dentist about it, she took an Xray and showed me how the crown was positioned off to the side and was not on properly, however the crown was 100% intact and she had a hard time taking it off. She then told me I had some leakage of decay under the crown all over and into my canals. I went to have a endontonic retreatment done. Now I need a post put in and a new crown.
I understand that it has been along time however, had the crown been put in properly, this would not have been an issue.
I would like to request that you pay for my expensed that I had due to this problem. I do not want any “pain and suffering” damages , I just would like your dental office to be responsible for the outcome of the crown.
I have X rays that I can obtain from a couple months ago that shows the tooth, as well as a 2 or 3 years ago and possibly 6 and 7 years ago that will show this crown in the same position.
Also I have another tooth that has a crown, which Right away when he put it on I noticed almost a greenish line where my gum and crown meet, there is now a small thin gap between my tooth and gum, is this going to cause problems in the future, The dentist told me the greenish colour was my old tooth.
Please get back soon
thank you
How does a dentist determine if you have a cavity under a crown?
I had full mouth x -rays and dentist said I need 2 new crown replacements . She took digital xrays but I had no symptoms, no pain etc. Can decay be seen on x-ray? I do not want to do replacement unless necessary. How can I be certain I need new crowns. Just went to dentist for cleaning (every 3 months) as am diabetic.
I went to my dentisit yesterday. Was told after my cleaning and x rays that I have two cavitys close to my
gum line on two teeth that have crowns. They have to remove the crowns,fill the cavity, poss. will need a root canal then new crowns put on. All to the tune of almost $4000.00. They wanted me to make the appointment right there and then. I do not have that kind of money to just hand over. I go to the dentist on a regular basis have my teeth cleaned 3 times a year and have all my adult life. I am 57. I now ask myself why? The only teeth I have trouble with are the teeth that have crowns. Very frustrated.
I’m very grateful for the rich information that i have just read,im preparing my self for a Crowning Treatment in 18-20hours time.My tooth have a history of Filling,Refilling,Root canal,apparently have a breakage on the same tooth( Small crack would coarse a bad breath if not thoroughly brushed n flossed, which i have done without fail)conclusion is if Natural God given teeth stands to be blameless/not attacked are the best.But now after falling in this Cavity snare i got no other alternative.Thanks again.
crown fell off of 25 year old root canal. It was decayed away. Then the roots were removed. leaving large openin using warm salt and water to keep clean and take pain away. Can I use peroxide to rinse.
Helllo All,
My dentist told me this week that all of my crowns have decay under them and that they must come off and be re-done, All of my back teeth have crowns. I need to get new insurance. Mine does not cover much. I know I will have to pay a higher premium but surely it would be less expensive than re-crowning (and maybe root canals), Please tell me some good companies to look at,
Kindest regards,
Ann
Betty, my doctor told me to rinse with peroxide several times a day to kill germs.
I had a crown done a year ago July and this July was told there was decay at the top of the crown. The dentist removed the decay and fixed the crown a little over a week ago. Since then I have had pain. Not a throbbing pain but noticeble pain. Sometimes during the day but mostly at night waking me from a sound sleep. I returned to the dentist and he checked the area and finds nothing wrong. Said to give it another week or two to see if the tooth is just overly sensitive to the procedure and will settle down. Could this be a serious problem. I have visions of infection traveling to the brain as it is an upper tooth. Is that possible? Also, what would be the next procedure should it not settle down? He mentioned root canal. Could this problem actually be something else other than the tooth?
Hi Tom,
My dentist wants to put a crown over a very large and old filling as he says everything looks good but the tooth around the filling just fell apart. Should I make him take out the old filling before putting the crown in?
Thanks,
Rick
I went to my dentist today concerning a crown that came out last week and I had put it back on with some adhesive from CVS. I had notice a couple of weeks ago that the crown on the upper jaw had a hole, my tongue found it. I learn today that the upper crown does in fact has a place at the gum line and the xray showed cavity under the crown. Also the tooth next to it, crowned, has a very large cav ity under it.
The crown that broke off has to have some building up on it, therefore the crown that got put back on today will have to be replaced. Also the crown next to it has decay and by the xrays may need a root canal.
I’m looking at 4,000 – $5,000. Is there an alternative that I need to consider? Is there a procedure that they can get rid of what’s left of tooth structure and put a post in, then put a crown on top that’s’ not resting on any tooth matter that can have issues in the future? I live in SC and would just like to get an outside opinion on different options.
hello
my question is could the decay happened under a good sealed crown, because a doctor re-fix my fallen crown(from about 15 day) without cleaning it he just bump some air and re cemented it i told him that the tooth need to be cleaned (because of bed smell and maybe some remaining food) he told no need for that because the cement will kill bacteria and if the crown is well sealed then the Bactria inside will die eventually, is that true ?!
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I’ve had a root canal before, and there are a couple questions I had. I wasn’t sure if I could still get cavities on the tooth with the crown. I didn’t realize that I could! I’ll make sure that I take care of it just as well as the others. Thanks for sharing!
The true story is the dentist recomennds a crown and you brush and floss develop a cavity under the crown you pay for root canal or an extraction you look like a hillbilly the dentist laughs all the way to the bank. I know I spent $9, 000. The repairs lasted 6 years now they all need to be pulled and I get a denture for $3500. More.
Hi. My daughter is 8. She had a silver cap put in because of a cavity. The capped tooth became loose and the tooth and crown came out together. Now her permanent tooth is growing in it and it appears to be growing in crooked. She I be concern and how much of a problem could this be?
Hi. My daughter is 8. She had a silver cap put in because of a cavity. The capped tooth became loose and the tooth and crown came out together. Now her permanent tooth is growing in it and it appears to be growing in crooked. She I be concern and how much of a problem could this be?
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This is some great information, and I appreciate your point that a cavity under your crown could require a root canal or extraction. I had a crown put on one of my molars a while back, but it’s been causing me problems, so I’m worried there’s a cavity underneath. I’ll definitely visit a dentist right away so they can assess the situation and decide how best to proceed. Thanks for the great post!
I am sitting here in tears. I’ve always had problems with my teeth especially around the gum line. I went to a dentist for a consult on implants and was told that I can save me teeth for the rest of my life with crowns. I was charged $25k for all the uppers which was to conclude three implants. I had it done. That was a year ago. Since then, the dentist has sold the practice, prematurely placed the implant crown, only did one of the inants and chose to crown the other two instead. The new dentist who purchased the practice is trying to Falk me into crowns on all my bottom teeth. I can actually feel infection in two teeth right now. Upon further study, my gums have receded considerably the past two months. I can now see cavities forming along the gum line of multiple crowns. I’ve brushed, water picked and glossed. I have bad dry moth the past few months where i wake up numerous times at night to drink a pint of water. I would never allow another crown in my mouth ever! I have always had issues with my teeth and gullible issues. Why on earth would a dentist recommend this? After the crowns were placed the dentist told me I would need multiple route canals because it was so close to the nerve. I’m sorry but in situations like this, I just don’t see how placing crowns help anyone but a dentist buy a new car or airplane. I now have a huge loan, need my bottom teeth fix, can’t afford to replace the crowns I have on my upper teeth. I have spent so much money and would Mich eat her have spent that $25k on implants or dentures then the mess I have to contend with now. And the blame game I hear when I go in there makes me want to stay away even more. Oh, and the dentist told me not to wait till my dental insurance starts the beginning of next year because it’s a waste and only covers about a thousand and not major work. So here I sit. The sucker who will now have all the crowns removed and false teeth put in. On another note, years ago I had two teeth crowned and one had a route canal. The tooth ended up with a fracture which was the worst pain and I ended up losing both of those teeth because of it. Crowns aren’t worth it for everyone and dentists shouldn’t tell a patient it’s the best option when in situations like this, they are not.
Can you have a crown put over a crown that has been drilled down and had a root canal?
I had a crown applied about 3 weeks ago for a tooth that had a small crack and had become sensitive to heat & cold. Within 24 hours of having the temporary tooth applied – I had no pain.
However, that same tooth has become sensitive to heat & cold again. In the past, prior to having the permanent crown applied, a chemical- tasting fluid was swabbed onto my tooth. This was not done this time. Are dentists supposed to do this – or is the cement antibacterial? I am worried that there is an infection under the crown.
What do you suggest? Thanks.
I didn’t know that you can get a cavity on a tooth with a crown! I should be more careful from now on and spend more time brushing the area. I would hate to be in need of a root canal.
My dentist did 12 crowns on my teeth . blood got under all of them do to inflammation of gums he never did a cleaning before the procedures so he replaced again and it happened again. For the third time he replaces them and fills them with a white material used for covering screws I believe. Q4 of them turned blue again now he wants to fix them again!! any ways my question is if the white is covering the blood that means there’s blood in my crowns will that cause damage to my teeth
hi Tom I have a question can you please do steps to do the dental procedures cause I love them thanks
After crown is removed when the original teeth lies can braces be kept or not
The VA hospital place a crown on half of a rotting tooth. Got infection vig as a bulb on the side of my mouth. Hey called I a sinus problem and everything except what it was. After a cleaning one day I told the technician almost in tears how that crown wiggle and the pain felt like a shock. Couldn’t do nothing on that side of my moth for almost a year. Another dentist took an x Ray and saw the infection had to have oral surgery then surgery to expose enough bone and then finally place another crown on the post. The dentist who botch the job even after he was shown it said I sholud keep it clean. My teeth were being clean on a regular basis. Moral of the story stay out of the V A hospitals their service sucks and your service means nothing to them. Just waiting to jet out the door with a pension. Some may not even be real doctors????
In the instruction part of this page, it describes brushing and flossing as ways to remove plaque under the gun line. I can understand that flossing in between teeth can get under the gun line, but the adjacent sides to the space in between teeth really cannot be effectively flossed. Brushing only slightly gets under gun line. Also, could flossing push plaque causing bacteria into the area under the gun line? I recently got a crown and fear there might be little I can do to prevent the underneath part of tooth from getting a cavity. My regular teeth have been tightly against the gums my entire life and I never got a cavity below the gun line. Where the tooth was shaved for the root canal, the doctor pulled back the gums to most the temporary crown. This seemed to expose the lower position of tooth. Weeks later when the permanent crown arrived, the doctor place the crown on it without pulling the guns back. It would seems that the old tooth is very close to the surface and is in danger of cavity. If I brush and floss multiple times per day, should I be worried about cavities? What is your opinion on water picks? I have one, but stopped because of rumors about it blasting my gums hard enough to cause a receding gun line.
My dentist said that on x ray my crown looks ‘fluffy’ around the edges inside on X ray. She doesn’t know what it is and wont know till she removes the crown – this tooth broke off wonky after biting on a hard bit of popcorn about 10yrs ago.
I have no pain in the tooth, if it was not for the x ray showing ‘something fluffy’ which might be the cement or something who knows – then I would have never known about it. Today she said to me to come back and have the crown removed to have a look and put a new crown on – If all is well underneath and she can fit a new crown on – bu she doesn’t know and I might lose the tooth (upper right 4) so right in the smile zone
She said if she couldn’t save it I could always get an implant (£1800) or so. The reason I ask you is that I found you on a web search about crowns and I cannot google anything about a ‘fluffy look around a crown’ as normally you don’t tend to know what is going on INSIDE a crown. I would be so grateful if you could tell me what you would do – Would you remove the crown to have a look? – She showed me an x ray from a few years ago where this ‘fluffiness’ was there –
But less of it. She didn’t mention this fluffy until a couple of months ago though. I know the tooth did not break off evenly – Kind of angularly if i recall. I do not know whether to have her take a look or what I should do so I would really appreciate any help you could be.
Thank You so much if you can help in any way