Category Archives: Dental Crowns

Dental Crowns

Why Can’t I Get Really White Crowns

I had crowns done about ten years ago. I never liked their color but my dentist insisted that anything whiter would not look natural. Now, I am getting them replaced and I told my new dentist that I really wanted them white. He suggested a B1. I can already tell that I will want them whiter. He said that because I have a post in a couple of them, if we go any whiter people will be able to see the post. Is there any way I can have a really white looking smile without people seeing the posts?

Carla

Dear Carla,

A dental crown being placed

I am glad you wrote. It sounds like your dentist is confusing color with translucency. Just because the color of someone’s tooth is whiter does not make it more see through. This is true even if you wanted them to be a BL1. It sounds to me more like he is not comfortable with his cosmetic skills in placing them. He may not have the cosmetic skills you need to get the results that you want.

If you still want to give him a chance at trying it, here is my suggestion. Tell him you want the dental crowns very white. Be specific about the color. However, you need to insist that he places them with a temporary try-in paste and you get to approve them before they are permanently bonded on.

If you don’t like the way they look then he should be willing to redo them. If he is not willing to agree to that, then I would suggest that you find an expert cosmetic dentist to do these.

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Dental Crowns

Can a Dental Crown Cause a Yeast Infection?

I had to get a dental crown on a back tooth. When the temporary crown first went in, my teeth felt sensitive. Then, since the permanent crown came in, I have had extra saliva, sores in my mouth, a bitter taste, and bad breath. Is it possible the crown caused a yeast infection in my mouth?

Pamela

Dear Pamela,

You’ve listed a lot of symptoms here and all of them have various causes. The sensitivity after temporary crowns is normal and usually ends shortly after the permanent ones.

As for a yeast infection, is it possible you’ve been rinsing a lot with peroxide in an effort to help with your situation? While it can be a good periodic disinfectant, using it more than just occasionally will lead to a yeast infection.

Sometimes after a stressful dental appointment, a person can develop burning mouth syndrome, but one of the main symptoms of that is dry mouth and you said extra saliva, so I am going to rule that out.

Sores in your mouth are usually from either stress or a virus. The other two symptoms, bad breath and a bitter taste, usually have to do with oral hygiene. Sometimes, after getting a dental crown where someone’s mouth is sensitive, they ease up on the brushing and flossing, but that actually exacerbates the problem. Dig in there without being delicate and it will help.

Of course, there is the possibility you are having trouble getting everything from around the crown. In those cases, something like a WaterPik will help.

Try those things and if it doesn’t help after a couple of weeks, see your dentist again and have him or her look at things.

This blog is brought to you Phoenix Dentist Dr. Hillary Peck.