A couple of months ago I had a lot of dental work. One in particular was a crown on my back lower tooth. The dentist made the crown short and it did not reach to my gum lines (I am almost certain the dentist knew she messed up but didn’t tell me). Now that tooth is sensitive, what do you suggest I have done? Should I have a new crown made to go down all the way to my gum line or should I go with a gum graft?
- Luke in California
Dear Luke,
It isn’t necessary for your crown, especially if it is on a back tooth, to go all the way to the gumline. In fact, keeping the margin of the crown away from the gum can be healthier because there is less chance of gum irritation. So I wouldn’t advise getting a new crown.
As far as the sensitivity in the tooth, there are several possibilities. If the front surface of the tooth near the gumline is sensitive to touch, then it could be that this surface needs to be coated with a desensitizer. If the tooth is sensitive to cold, it may just need some time to get used to the crown, especially if the crown has metal in it. Or it could be that the decay or the old fillings in the tooth were especially deep, and the tooth is irritated because of those reasons.
Links to related information:
Cleveland cosmetic dentist
Porcelain crowns
Porcelain veneers
Cost of porcelain veneers
Lumineers