How to Care for Your Dental Crowns - A Complete Maintenance Guide

Dental crowns are a significant investment in your oral health and smile, designed to restore damaged teeth and provide years of reliable function. With proper care and maintenance, dental crowns can last 15-30 years or even longer. However, their longevity depends largely on how well you care for them. Here’s your complete guide to maintaining your dental crowns and ensuring they serve you well for decades to come.

Understanding Your Dental Crown

Before diving into care instructions, it’s important to understand that while dental crowns are incredibly durable, they’re not indestructible. The crown itself cannot decay, but the underlying tooth and surrounding gum tissue can still be affected by poor oral hygiene. Additionally, the cement that holds the crown in place and the junction where the crown meets your natural tooth require special attention.

Daily Oral Hygiene for Crowned Teeth

Brush Thoroughly but Gently

Use the Right Toothbrush: Choose a soft-bristled toothbrush that won’t scratch the crown surface or irritate your gums. Electric toothbrushes are excellent for providing consistent, gentle cleaning.

Proper Brushing Technique: Brush your crowned teeth just like natural teeth, using gentle circular motions. Pay particular attention to the gum line where the crown meets your natural tooth, as this area is prone to plaque buildup.

Fluoride Toothpaste: Use fluoride toothpaste to help protect the underlying tooth structure and prevent decay at the crown margin.

Flossing is Critical

Daily Flossing: Floss around your crowned teeth daily, being especially careful at the crown margins. The area where the crown meets your natural tooth is vulnerable to decay if plaque accumulates.

Gentle Technique: When flossing around crowns, use a gentle sliding motion rather than snapping the floss up and down, which could dislodge the crown.

Water Flossers: Consider using a water flosser in addition to traditional flossing. The pulsating water can help remove debris from hard-to-reach areas around crowns.

Antibacterial Mouthwash

Use an antibacterial mouthwash daily to help reduce bacteria around your crowns and maintain healthy gums. This is particularly important for preventing gum disease, which can affect the health of crowned teeth.

Foods and Habits to Avoid

Hard and Sticky Foods

Avoid Hard Objects: Never chew on ice, hard candies, nuts in shells, or other extremely hard objects that could chip or crack your crown.

Sticky Foods: Limit consumption of very sticky foods like caramel, taffy, or gum that could potentially pull off a crown, especially if the cement has weakened over time.

Popcorn Kernels: Be cautious with unpopped popcorn kernels, which can damage crowns if bitten unexpectedly.

Harmful Habits to Break

Don’t Use Teeth as Tools: Never use your crowned teeth (or any teeth) to open packages, crack nuts, or perform other non-eating tasks.

Avoid Teeth Grinding: If you grind or clench your teeth, especially at night, ask your dentist about a custom nightguard to protect your crowns and natural teeth.

Stop Nail Biting: This habit can put excessive pressure on crowned teeth and potentially cause damage.

Regular Dental Care and Professional Maintenance

Consistent Dental Visits

Regular Checkups: Visit your dentist every six months for routine examinations and cleanings. These visits allow your dentist to monitor your crowns and address any issues early.

Professional Cleanings: Professional cleanings remove tartar buildup that home care might miss, particularly around crown margins where plaque tends to accumulate.

X-rays: Periodic X-rays help detect any decay or problems beneath the crown that aren’t visible during visual examination.

What Your Dentist Checks

During your visits, your dentist will:

Examine the crown for chips, cracks, or wear
Check the fit and seal at the crown margin
Assess the health of surrounding gum tissue
Look for signs of decay around the crown
Evaluate your bite to ensure proper function

Special Considerations for Different Crown Types

Porcelain and Ceramic Crowns

Stain Resistance: While porcelain crowns resist staining better than natural teeth, excessive consumption of staining substances (coffee, red wine, tobacco) can affect their appearance over time.

Gentle Cleaning: Use non-abrasive toothpaste to avoid scratching the porcelain surface.

Metal and PFM Crowns

Durability: These crowns are very durable but still require proper care to maintain the health of surrounding tissues.

Gum Health: Pay extra attention to gum health around metal crowns, as some people may experience mild gum irritation.

Signs That Require Immediate Attention

Contact your dentist promptly if you notice:

Structural Issues

A loose crown that moves when touched
A crown that has fallen out completely
Chips, cracks, or other visible damage to the crown
A change in how your bite feels

Discomfort or Pain

Persistent sensitivity to hot or cold temperatures
Pain when chewing or biting
Throbbing or constant pain in the crowned tooth
Swelling or tenderness in the gums around the crown

Changes in Appearance

Dark lines appearing at the gum line
Recession of gums around the crown
Noticeable color changes in the crown or adjacent teeth

Extending Crown Lifespan

Protective Measures

Nightguards: If you grind your teeth, a custom nightguard can significantly extend crown life by preventing excessive pressure and wear.

Sports Guards: Use a properly fitted mouthguard during contact sports to protect your crowns from trauma.

Good Oral Hygiene: Consistent daily care is the most important factor in crown longevity.

Lifestyle Choices

Avoid Tobacco: Smoking and tobacco use can compromise gum health around crowns and increase the risk of complications.

Limit Acidic Foods: Excessive consumption of acidic foods and drinks can erode the cement holding your crown in place.

Stay Hydrated: Adequate saliva production helps maintain oral health and protects crowned teeth.

Emergency Crown Care

If Your Crown Falls Out

Don’t Panic: Crown loss, while concerning, is usually not a dental emergency if there’s no pain.

Preserve the Crown: Clean the crown gently and store it safely to bring to your dentist.

Temporary Solutions: Over-the-counter dental cement can temporarily hold a crown in place until you can see your dentist.

Avoid Certain Foods: Stick to soft foods and avoid chewing on the side with the exposed tooth.

If Your Crown is Damaged

Assess the Damage: Minor chips might not require immediate attention, but larger damage should be evaluated promptly.

Avoid Further Damage: Be gentle with the damaged crown until you can see your dentist.

Pain Management: Over-the-counter pain relievers can help if you experience discomfort.

Long-Term Crown Maintenance

Replacement Considerations

Even with excellent care, crowns may eventually need replacement due to:

Normal wear and aging
Changes in your bite or jaw structure
Gum recession exposing crown margins
Underlying tooth decay or damage

Staying Proactive

Regular Monitoring: Keep track of how long you’ve had your crowns and discuss replacement timing with your dentist.

Technology Updates: Newer crown materials and techniques may offer benefits when replacement becomes necessary.

Comprehensive Care: Maintain overall oral health to support your crowned teeth and prevent complications.

Conclusion

Caring for your dental crowns is straightforward but requires consistency and attention to detail. By maintaining excellent oral hygiene, avoiding harmful habits, attending regular dental visits, and being aware of warning signs, you can help ensure your crowns serve you well for many years. Remember that while crowns are durable, they’re part of a living system that requires ongoing care. With proper maintenance, your investment in dental crowns will continue to provide you with a beautiful, functional smile for decades to come. If you have any concerns about your crowns or notice any changes, don’t hesitate to contact your dentist promptly for evaluation and care.