Dental Crown Keeps Falling Off

I need some advice. My dental crown has fallen off three times. After the third time I went back to have it rebonded on, he tells me that I need a gingivectomy in order to have more tooth to bond the crown to. I am concerned about that. Plus, there is a blackened part of the tooth that wasn’t that way the last time the crown fell off. I have to make a decision soon. What do you recommend?

Beth

Dear Beth,

 

While sometimes this procedure, called crown lengthening, is necessary, your dentist should have known this BEFORE placing the first crown. The fact that he did not and just mentioned it after the third time his crown failed, makes me think that he is just using that as an excuse.

If the dentist has the skill, it is possible to do a porcelain crown on a short tooth, if that is an actual issue for you and not just your dentist’s excuse. It’s a bit tricky. the tooth has to have only a slight taper and in some cases there will need to be grooves cut into the sides. Most dentists go their whole career without a crown falling off even once, let alone three times.

It is only when the natural tooth is so far gone that there is too little tooth left to support that crown that crown lengthening is ever truly needed.

My suggestion is that you find a different dentist in this particular case. I do not think he is the best dentist for you. Instead, I would ask for a full refund. He should also refund the insurance company, if you used any dental insurance for this procedure. Then, find a different dentist to place your dental crown.

This blog is brought to you by Douglas, AZ Dentist Dr. Gilberto Tostado.

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