I had three dental crowns placed and they have been irritating me ever since. They are pressing on my gums and feel bulky. I recently read that porcelain fused to metal crowns can cause problems. These are the type she placed for me. Plus, I really want to go metal-free. However, when I asked her to remove and replace them with zirconia crowns she said she needed to wait until my nerves have calmed down. Is this really necessary?
Candace
Dear Candance,
Your dentist is really struggling with her field. There is no reason to wait until your nerves calm down to resolve this. The pressing of the crowns on your gums is what is irritating the nerves. Waiting only prolongs that. Removing the crowns, relieves that. I don’t think the fact that your crown is a porcelain fused to metal crown is the actual problem here. When a crown is fitted properly, you do not notice it is there at all. It’s just like another tooth. What the metal base will do is cause the crown to be more opaque, which lessens its natural look. Additionally, at some point down the line, you will develop an ugly gray line at your gumline. So, switching them out is a good idea.
If this is a front tooth, all-porcelain or zirconia crowns will work. If it is a back tooth, you will really need the zirconia for it to be strong enough to withstand your biting forces. It may be the zirconia that frightens her. This is a newer type of material to work with than she may be used to. My suggestion is go to another dentist to get this done. If you are wanting to go metal-free, I’d look for a holistic dentist.
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