I had a crown done. It never felt right. I had it adjusted several times, but it never helped. Every time I bite it hurt. Finally, a piece broke off. I was so fed up with my dentist that I went to an emergency dentist instead. But, he refused to fix it. He said he’s willing to make me a new one but not fix the old one. That seems unfair. Will all dentists say the same thing?
Carrie.
Dear Carrie,
You’ve been through the wringer with this crown. I’m sorry you’ve had such difficult experiences. I don’t know if this was your first (and hopefully last) crown, but I promise it’s not normally like that. If you’re having pain with a crown when you bite, there are generally two possible reasons for it.
- A Lingering Infection
Sometimes there is some infected material left that a dentist missed. This can happen in a root canal treatment because there are more canals in teeth than you’d imagine. If even a little bit of pulp is left, the infection will grow. The solution is to get back in there and do a second root canal. However, I don’t think this was your problem.
- The Dental Crown is too High
If the dental crown is seated too high on your gums it will cause you to bite down on that tooth without getting to spread the force among the other teeth as well. When that happens, it can cause some unexpected pain. Usually, adjusting the crown properly will be an adequate solution. Because your crown broke, this is what I suspect is what the problem was with your crown.
Why Wouldn’t the Emergency Dentist Repair Your Crown?
I can’t tell you exactly why this particular emergency dentist refused to repair the crown. There’s actually a good possibility it was just unrepairable. Sometimes it’s just not feasible. Making a brand new crown is the only option.
This leaves you with three possibilities:
1. You could go back to the original dentist and give him a chance to make it right either by making you a new crown at no cost or just refunding your money.
2. You could schedule an appointment with the emergency dentist to create a new crown for you. He may do a better job than your last dentist.
3. You could try a completely different dentist.
Whichever you choose, you want to do it soon and not leave your tooth exposed.
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