Carlsbad Dental Crowns
Dental Crowns - What Does Pain Mean?
No normal person ever wants to experience pain - particularly dental pain - but the fact is that pain is like an alarm system. Its function is to alert us to the fact that something, somewhere has gone wrong and needs to be addressed.
If you have dental crowns and are experiencing pain of some kind, it can be indicative of any number of problems ranging from a minor problem that your Carlsbad dentist can easily fix to something quite serious that may require a complete replacement of the crown.
Temporary Crowns
As you may know, the process of placing dental crowns involves multiple steps, one of which is setting a temporary crown while the permanent one is fabricated in a laboratory. Because it is temporary, this interim crown is less likely to fit in a precise manner. Some increased sensitivity to hot and cold food and drink is normal; because some small part of the base of the tooth remains exposed, it is likely that it will be affected by extreme temperatures.
It is also not unusual to experience some irritation around the gum line when first having dental crowns placed; the procedure requires that this area be "roughed up" - essentially scraped - in order to be made ready to receive a new crown. In addition, the tooth, which has been ground down in order to accommodate the crown, may feel a bit tender.
None of this is unusual; however, you will want to contact your Carlsbad dentist in any event. S/he may suggest you take aspirin or some other analgesic medication until everything has healed.
Permanent Crowns
If you experience pain with your permanent dental crowns while biting down, it's a good possibility that it has been set too high. This is not unusual; during the procedure while the dentist asks you about how it feels, your mouth is likely to be numb, meaning it's difficult to make a proper judgment. Fortunately, this is a minor problem that can be corrected easily and quickly.
Pain associated with established dental crowns may result from problems in the gums. If gums recede after dental crowns have been placed, it may cause the same sensitivity experienced with temporary ones as hot and cold foods come into contact with the exposed root. This may need to be addressed by a periodontist.
We cannot stress enough the importance of a rigorous and religiously-followed program of dental hygiene. Although the porcelain used for dental crowns is invulnerable to bacteria, these nasty little microbes can still slip under the gum line and cause gingivitis, which is all the more difficult to treat when dental crowns are involved. Brush, floss and rinse with salt water at least once a day, and preferably after every single meal. If you do no more than carry a pocket-travel tooth brush with you wherever you go and just brush without toothpaste every time you eat, you will greatly reduce the chances of developing gingivitis that can cause serious pain beneath dental crowns.