“How do you know when a crown needs to be replaced?”

Great question. There is no expiration date on crowns. There are several reasons for replacement: If it's an old metal crown or porcelain fused to metal, you could wear through the biting surface and cause a hole. If the margin, or edge of the crown is open (meaning a gap between the crown and tooth) it needs to be replaced as bacteria can easily leak in. If there is new decay or a cavity around the margin it may need to be replaced. If the ceramic or porcelain chipped off or if the tooth needs a root canal and the access hole is too big to fill, these are reasons for replacement. Sometimes, the crown is clinically fine but, the color no longer matches your other teeth and the esthetics are poor. Please talk to your dentist if he or she is recommending to replace a crown. Ask for the reason. If you think you need a new crown, I hope this post helps. Talk to your, or any dentist about it.

Hope this helps,

Steven Chamish, DDS

If any decay is found around the crown visually or on X-ray.