Baton Rouge Dentist

My New Crown Still Hurts When I Chew

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One of my three new molar crowns hurts so bad that it feels like a nerve is exposed. I avoid chewing on the left side of my mouth because I feel intense pain if anything crunchy or chewy hits the tooth. My dentist said that I chew too forcefully, so the crown hurts. However, I had no problem before getting new CEREC crowns in March. Is my dentist being dishonest? Could she have done something wrong that’s causing the pain? Thanks. Konstance

Konstance

The bottom of a hollow dental crown with a dental stick holding it
Dental crown

Your dental crowns should not hurt for months, even if you have a forceful bite.

What Causes a Crowned Tooth to Hurt?

If a new crown hurts when chewing, a dentist can explore these possible causes:

  • Bite Issues: The crown placement can sometimes lead to a bite (the way your teeth meet) that is slightly too high. This means your lower teeth make stronger contact with the crowned teeth than others. The constant pressure can make your teeth sensitive and strain your jaw muscles and joints. You might even experience headaches, neck pain, or earaches. If adjustments haven’t resolved this completely, it’s worth getting a second opinion.
  • Underlying Infection: While less common, a tooth beneath a crown might be infected. Root canal specialists (endodontists) are trained to identify subtle issues. The intensity of your pain suggests a possible need for root canal treatment.

Root Canal Treatment and Your Crowns

The good news is that even with root canal treatment, your new crowns might be salvageable. An endodontist can skillfully access the tooth for treatment without damaging the crown itself. You’ll only need new crowns if the existing ones are faulty or contribute to discomfort.

Next Steps

If the initial bite adjustments haven’t addressed the chewing pain, talk to your dentist about the possibility of an underlying infection. He or she can recommend the best course of action, whether further bite adjustments or a consultation with an endodontist.

Baton Rouge family dentist Dr. Ryan Perry sponsors this post. Please read about how he strives to provide his patients with the best care possible.

 

My Dentist Can’t Get My Crown to Match

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My schedule is so tight that I decided to get a same-day crown at a local dentist near my job. The crown is for a right lateral incisor. The dentist was confident that she could make a perfect match, but the crown did not. She replaced the crown twice, each time with the wrong color. During my last visit, the dentist told me to be happy that I could get the tooth fixed in a day. But my tooth isn’t fixed. I want this obvious mismatch corrected. Am I asking being unreasonable? – Thank you, Lizette

Lizette,

We understand your disappointment. Your dentist made it seem like you are asking too much to have your crown match your other teeth. A match is essential for a front tooth, especially if you want to feel comfortable about your smile.

Matching a Dental Crown for A Front Tooth

Ten dental crowns for various tooth positions on black glass
A skilled cosmetic dentist will ensure your dental crown matches your surrounding teeth.

It takes skill and patience for a dentist to achieve a perfect match for a crown on a front tooth. It becomes more challenging to achieve the match with a same-day crown—especially if the dentist does not understand techniques for doing aesthetic touchups to the crown. It is normal to try in the crown two or three times to ensure a perfect match. However, a skilled cosmetic dentist will not give up and tell you to be happy with the results.

Your dentist may use a Vita shade guide and be frustrated because the shade guide isn’t achieving a match. However, an advanced cosmetic dentist would take these steps to achieve a match with a crown:

  • Work with a master dental ceramist to craft a highly aesthetic crown
  • Draw a color map for the ceramist
  • Provide written instructions that specify a basic shade
  • Draw areas where the ceramist would need to add tints to exactly match your natural teeth
  • Try in the crown when it arrives to check for color and take pictures of your teeth
  • Communicate discrepancies with the ceramist and send photos
  • Cement the crown only when the try-in is successful and you approve the crown’s appearance and fit

Get a second opinion

Although same-day crowns offer convenience and a metal-free alternative, if your dentist doesn’t know how to get a close match to your natural teeth with the crown, you are wasting time and money. Many dentists do not have much training in cosmetic dentistry beyond dental school. Don’t be surprised if a cosmetic dentist recommends a custom crown from a ceramist to give you beautiful results. We recommend that you find a cosmetic dentist to examine your crown and explain your options for matching a crown to your tooth shade.

Baton Rouge family dentist Dr. Ryan Perry sponsors this post. Please read about how he strives to provide his patients with the best care possible.

Are CEREC crowns cheap because they are quick?

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I am suffering from a toothache that is similar to one I had about a year ago. To fix it then, I ended up getting a root canal and a crown. The process took three appointments: one for the actual root canal, one to go back and get my crown, and one more to make an adjustment on the crown. I’m pretty sure that I may end up getting a root canal and crown again. I have noticed signs for “Crowns in a day.” One appointment instead of three sounds great. I’m worried, though, that it’s going to be a cheap crown that won’t last. Usually, if it sounds too good to be true, it is. Should I avoid these quick-crown dentists?

Shelby, Richardson, TX

Dear Shelby,

It’s natural to question the value of something done quickly. In many instances, “fast” does cause you to consider quality. For example, if your home is built too quickly, you may question whether the builders did their best work.

How are CEREC crowns made so quickly?

In the case of the “Crowns in a day,” or CEREC crowns, the quality isn’t questioned because it is done quickly. The reason they are able to do it in a day is that they mill the crown in their office. Using computer programs, the dentist is able to match the colors and the shape of your tooth and to make the crown while you are in his chair.

When the dentist is finished with your root canal, the crown can be fitted and you go home with it. By having a CEREC machine in the office, it cuts out the steps of sending off your crown specs to a different ceramist to create it and waiting for it to come back to the dentist to place over your tooth.

With that said, the quality of CEREC crowns isn’t undermined by the time spent to create them, but possibly by the dentist behind it. Any dentist can have a crown-making machine in their office. That doesn’t automatically mean they are a master at using it. It takes training and experience to be able to create a crown that is going to match with your other teeth in shape and color and look as natural as possible. So before just going to any CEREC crown dentist, do your homework. Go to the dentist’s office and look at examples their work so you can get the best results possible.

This post is sponsored by Dr. Ryan Perry in Baton Rouge, LA.

Can my dentist replace a new crown that’s the wrong color?

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Last weekend, the day before my daughter’s quincinera of course, I had a crown on one of my back teeth break. My dentist wasn’t available so I found an “emergency dentist” in town and had him fix it for me. He was able to do a same-day crown. I was so glad to get the tooth fixed quickly before the party Saturday. I didn’t notice until earlier this week, though, that the color is off on my new crown. My husband doesn’t think it’s bad, but I think the crown is obvious because it doesn’t match my other teeth. Can I just go to my regular dentist now and have him put a new one on?

Thanks,
Lupe, Sacramento

Dear Lupe,

Both emergency dentists and same-day crowns (most likely a CEREC crown) can be such a blessing, especially when you are in a time crunch. Many people think that emergency dentists only do emergency work, like ER physicians at the hospital. The truth is most emergency dentists are just general dentists. They either work extra hours or are flexible to help people with dental emergencies.

Just because a dentist is willing to help with emergencies doesn’t mean he is an expert at all aspects of dentistry. Most dentists can get a job done. It takes many hours of training and practice for dentists to become skilled at aesthetics–making it look good. Cosmetic dentistry isn’t a recognized specialty that dentists can be certified in.

While it was helpful to get your crown fixed quickly, it sounds like the emergency dentist may not have been skilled at color-matching the crown to your other teeth. Unfortunately, dentists typically set crowns to last. A well-placed crown can last 10-20 years. The only thing to do if you aren’t happy is to have it removed and replaced.

If you know the color is going to continue to bother you, try speaking to the emergency dentist and see if they will make it right. If not, either consult your regular dentist or find a cosmetic dentist in your area who can replace your crown with one you are satisfied with.

This post is sponsored by Baton Rouge Family Dentist.