Crack in Porcelain Crown
Posted by writeradmin
I’ve had porcelain crowns on my front teeth for at least 10 years. One of them always had a small flaw that couldn’t be seen, but my dentist pointed it out. Now I can see and feel it. I’m afraid it might break. It’s a horizontal fracture line, near the bottom. Is this a dental emergency? Or can I wait to replace it?
Marta
Dear Marta,

You’ll need to replace the crown. Both teeth and porcelain can have what are called craze lines, which are usually not a big deal. However, yours has shifted and you can feel it, which leads me to believe there’s a bigger problem here.
I would find a skilled cosmetic dentist and have my crown replaced. There’s no need to schedule an emergency dental appointment, but I would schedule one on the books.
You didn’t mention how many crowns there are, but ask the dentist replacing the failed crown to check the rest. They can give you an idea of whether they need to be replaced in the near future. They may have many years left.
If they don’t and are about to come out, you may want to do it all at once instead of having to do it one by one, when they inevitably need to be replaced.
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