Do Dental Crowns Last Forever?

Do dental crowns last forever?  That’s a common question we get in our office.  Many people expect their new crowns to last forever but that is rarely the case in most circumstances.

Best way to look at this is to compare your new dental crown to your adult teeth.  There is a reason your tooth needed a crown; decay, fracture, wear and tear, all can lead to breakdown of your tooth and the same goes for a crown.  If your tooth didn’t last forever, it is likely that your crown won’t either as it’s living in the same environment as your tooth.

There are many reasons why dental crowns fail prematurely, but most often it’s one of the following:

• poor oral hygiene – you still need to brush and floss your crown
• grinding or clenching – the force you put on your crown if you grind or clench can cause fractures
• infection – if you have a crown, you likely had a large filling before, which could have had leakage and the bacteria could, overtime, cause an infection
• decay – especially at the margin where the crown meets tooth structure you can get decay

The way you prolong the life of your crown is the same as your teeth.  Proper oral hygiene, nightguard if you clench or grind, regular x-rays and check ups to ensure no decay or infections are present, and frequent professional cleanings to keep things as clean as possible around the margins of the crown.  That way, you should extend the lifespan of your new dental crown and make it last for years if not for a lifetime.