The Secret to Maintaining Your Dental Crowns For A Long-Lasting Smile

The Secret to Maintaining Your Dental Crowns For A Long-Lasting Smile By Dr. Abhi Singh | February 12, 2023

The Secret to Maintaining Your Dental Crowns For A Long-Lasting Smile

If you just recently received dental crowns, congratulations! Dental crowns are artificial teeth covers used to restore decayed teeth’ shape, size and function. They are also used as fake teeth for dental implants and anchor to a dental bridge. They are cosmetic improvements and help keep your overall oral health in check.

But proper care of tooth crowns isn’t as simple as brushing and flossing regularly. With proper dental crown maintenance, your dental crowns could avoid extensive wear and tear. This can also extend their lifespan for many years.

But without it, they may need to be replaced sooner than expected. In this blog post, we’ll share tips for prolonging dental crown lifespan so that your teeth can remain well-protected for lasting oral health.

Summary Content

  • Dental crowns are durable and can be long-lasting. But their lifespan will still depend on how well you perform dental crown maintenance.
  • Dental crowns must be brushed and flossed daily, just like natural teeth.
  • A soft-bristled toothbrush and non-abrasive toothpaste are needed to prevent scratching the surface of the dental crown.
  • Eating soft foods and not smoking can help prolong the lifespan of dental crowns.
  • Regular dental cleaning and dentist visits can help prevent gum problems leading to longer-lasting dental crowns.

Why It's Important to Take Care of Dental Crowns

When permanent crowns are placed over weak teeth, they help to protect them from damage and severe decay. It’s crucial to bear in mind that dental crown maintenance is important to keep them functioning properly.

Patients can prevent decay from developing around the edges and ensure that their dental crowns will last longer if they take good care of them. Meanwhile, neglecting your dental crowns and not caring for them properly can lead to decay of the underlying tooth structure and even periodontal disease.

To avoid these issues, have a qualified health practitioner check on the dental crown’s condition every time you visit for a dental checkup. With your dentist, you can maintain proper oral health, so your natural teeth remain healthy and intact while ensuring that any dental work is kept in excellent condition.

Tips for Taking Care of Your Dental Crown

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Caring for dental crowns is vital to ensure it lasts a long time. While it does not take as much as caring for a natural tooth, there are still steps you can take to make sure it stays strong. Below are some tips for prolonging dental crown lifespan:

  1. Brush your dental crown twice daily and floss at least once daily to check your oral hygiene.
    Caring for dental crowns involves brushing your crown and adjacent teeth at least once daily. Regular flossing at least once a day is also essential. Remember, though, that you must be careful when flossing around your temporary crown to avoid dislodging it. Plaque and germs that might cause gum disease and tooth decay will be easier to eliminate due to this.
  2. Use a toothbrush with soft bristles.
    Steer clear of using a toothbrush with firm bristles since it can damage your dental crown. Some toothbrushes can be too abrasive that they can scratch the surface of the dental crown or remove its polish. It is also important to brush gently. Brushing too hard can also cause abrasions on the dental crown.
  3. Steer clear of meals that are chewy and rigid.
    Candies, nuts, and ice are all foods that might damage dental crowns because of their consistency and texture. Biting down on hard foods can cause chipping or even cracking on the dental crown. Meanwhile, sticky foods may adhere to the dental crown and pull it out of place. This may cause the dental crown or the dental adhesive to become loose or even fall off. Meanwhile, acidic foods like citrus fruits must also be avoided because they can cause sensitivity to the teeth. These foods can also cause erosion of the teeth structure, including the permanent crown.
  4. Put on a night guard.
    If you participate in sports or grind your teeth in your sleep, you should wear a night guard to protect the dental crown from damage. Teeth grinding at night can cause excessive wear and tear to the dental crown. This makes the crown weak and highly at risk of cracking or chipping. Night guards are a protective barrier between the arches of teeth during tooth grinding.
  5. Make sure you don’t use your teeth as tools.
    Too much pressure is placed on the dental crown if you use your teeth to open packages or bottles. This puts your crown at risk of chipping or cracking.
  6. Make sure you get frequent dental checkups.
    You should schedule an exam and dental cleaning with your dentist every six months for preventative care. This helps your dentist spot early signs of dental problems. It is also an opportunity to have your teeth professionally cleaned, which prevents tooth decay. You must also visit a dental expert as soon as possible if your dental crown causes you to experience any discomfort, sensitivity, or damage of any kind. This can help avoid further damage and ensure that your dental crown lasts as long as possible.
  7. Make sure you use fluoride toothpaste.
    Brushing your teeth with a fluoride toothpaste at least twice daily is essential. This will assist in remineralising your tooth enamel and make your teeth resistant to acid attacks of bacteria. A prepared tooth with dental crowns also becomes sensitive because they were filed. Fluoride helps minimise sensitivity by strengthening the teeth and protecting them from temperature changes.
  8. Rinse with mouthwash.
    Rinsing with mouthwash can also help prolong the lifespan of dental crowns. It not only reduces bacteria but also cleanses hard-to-reach areas in the mouth.
  9. Avoid smoking.
    This can discolour the crown of your tooth and increases the likelihood of developing cavities and gum disease. Smoking can also increase plaque build-up, which can damage the tooth inside the crown.
  10. Use interdental brushes.
    These brushes remove plaque and food particles from hard-to-reach places around your dental crown. They are more efficient in removing food debris that can’t be removed by regular brushing and flossing.

How Long Can Your Dental Crowns Last

Lifestyle choices, oral habits, and type of crown material all contribute to how long your dental crown lasts. Metal alloy crowns are made of durable materials and have a longer expected lifespan than porcelain bonded to metal crowns, about 20 years vs. 10–20 years, respectively. Meanwhile, porcelain crowns can endure as long as twenty years with regular checkups and cleanings.

With proper oral hygiene habits like brushing and flossing regularly, as well as regular visits to the dentist, your dental crowns should last around 10 to 20 years.

How to Brush Your Tooth with a Crown

Brushing your teeth is one of the most important tasks in caring for dental crowns. To ensure that your dental crown stays in place and is not damaged, you should take special care when brushing your tooth with a crown.

  1. Small, circular and up-and-down motions are the most effective for cleaning the entire tooth with a crown. Brush gently up and down, rather than side to side, especially at a 45-degree angle towards the gum line.
  2. Use dental floss to clean between your dental crown and along the gum line, two areas a toothbrush can’t reach. Flossing involves gently pushing the string against the gum line and pulling out any food particles between the teeth. Please avoid sawing your gums with dental floss, which can cause bleeding, inflammation, and infection. Always follow flossing with a good rinsing. Cleaning the spaces between your teeth is an important last step that many people either overlook or are unaware they need to take. If there is any loose, floating debris in your mouth, rinsing will flush it out.

What Can Damage Your Dental Crown

Crowns for teeth can withstand more force but are still vulnerable to damage. A cracked crown poses a risk to the surrounding teeth and may even cause a root canal infection. Getting a new crown or having the old one fixed if your tooth’s crown breaks is crucial. Listed below are the most typical causes of dental crown damage.

  • Poor oral habits 
    Mismanaged dental care is the leading cause of broken dental crowns and tooth decay. Damage, like chips, cracks, or fractures, can be caused by bad dental habits because they put extra stress on teeth and dental restorations. Poor dental hygiene practices, such as those listed below, are among the leading causes of crown failure.

    • Anxious biting of nails
    • Biting down on things or opening bottles with the teeth
    • Icy gum chewing
    • Chewing food over and over
    • Lack of Interest in Oral Hygiene
  • Bruxism

    Tooth grinding, also known as bruxism, is the habit of clenching one’s jaw so tightly that the teeth push and rub against one another. Because of bruxism, the teeth are subjected to excessive force.

    Wear and tear on the teeth, including chips, cracks, and fractures, can accumulate over time from bruxism. Dental crowns are susceptible to the same forces that harm teeth.

    Since bruxism typically occurs while the patient sleeps, a mouth guard can be a useful tool in helping these patients avoid tooth damage.

  • Malocclusion

    Damage to dental crowns often results from orthodontic issues like malocclusion. The teeth collide in the wrong places when the patient has a bad bite. Because of this, some teeth take a greater brunt of the bite than they should. Damage to natural teeth and dental restorations like crowns can result from the extra force exerted by a bite that is not properly aligned.

Signs That Your Dental Crown Is Damaged

Over time, wear and tear can cause damage to the crown, making it less effective as a protective covering for your tooth. If you suspect your prosthetic may be damaged, there are some tell-tale signs you should look out for.

  • Toothache and swelling
    Visiting your dentist as soon as possible is recommended if you experience discomfort or swelling in the gums around the crown. They can check to see if any weak spots in the crown could allow bacteria to enter and cause decay.

    There may be increased discomfort when biting down because of the increased pressure on the tooth. Also, you might have trouble cleaning your teeth effectively with toothbrushes and floss.

  • Broken dental crown
    A broken crown is one of the most typical causes of a crown replacement. Damage to the crown, such as chips or cracks, can be readily apparent if fractured.

    Cracks and fractures can be caused by nighttime teeth grinding, biting with too much force, facial trauma, chewing on hard food, or just plain old wear and tear over time. Your dentist can fix minor cracks and chips, but if the crown has been severely fractured, it will need to be replaced.

  • Loose crown
    If a crown comes loose from its tooth, it may be because the bonding material is failing. Crowns can come loose and fall out if they aren’t properly secured. It’s also easier for food particles and bacteria to get trapped in the crevice between a loose crown’s interior surface and the natural tooth, leading to decay.

  • Discoloured crown
    The crown and the surrounding teeth may change shades after a few years of use. Dark edges may develop along the gum line of porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns. This frequently happens when the porcelain finish breaks or wears off.

What Should You Do If Your Crown Is Loose or Damaged?

Getting a dental crown is an investment, so it’s vital to look after it properly and practise a good dental hygiene routine to keep it in good condition for as long as possible. If a crown loosens or becomes damaged, contact your dentist immediately and head in for an appointment. Your dentist will assess whether the crown needs to be re-fitted or replaced.

Can You Whiten Your Dental Crowns?

Dental crowns are useful for protecting damaged teeth and are designed to closely mimic the appearance of real teeth. However, unlike natural teeth, crowns do not absorb teeth-whitening chemicals.

If you have a dental crown and hope to brighten your smile, I’m sorry to tell you that dental crowns are not suitable for undergoing dental procedures such as tooth whitening. Once they are bonded to the misshapen teeth, the crown’s colour will not change regardless of whether the normal teeth are whitened or stained.

Final Thoughts

You need to practise a good oral hygiene routine if you want your dental crowns to be long-lasting. First, brush twice a day and floss once a day. You should also avoid chewing on hard and sticky foods, as those can crack or chip the crown.

Additionally, use a soft-bristled toothbrush and non-abrasive toothpaste to avoid scratching the surface of the dental crown. Lastly, attend regular checkups with your dentist, so any potential issues can be spotted early on before they become a bigger problem. By following these tips for prolonging dental crown lifespan, you will surely have a beautiful smile for a long time.

Prospect Road Dental Surgery is the perfect option if you’re looking for long-lasting dental crowns. Our team of dentists will provide you with perfectly-fitted dental crowns and will teach you how to maintain them so they remain functional for a longer period. Please book an appointment today to take advantage of our caring services.

Prospect Road Dental Surgery
Dr. Abhi Singh
Dr. Abhi is a member of the Australian Dental Association and loves living and working in our community. He has eight years of experience in all aspects of dentistry, with a special interest in dental implants, wisdom teeth extraction, and cosmetic dentistry.