How Can Decay Be Prevented Under a Crown?

 

Recurrent decay can occur under fillings as well as crowns if the margins of the restoration are not sealed well and proper oral hygiene and home care is not being practiced by the patient. If recurrent decay has already occurred under a crown, it is best to remove the crown, clean out the decay and make a new crown that seals the tooth perfectly to prevent further tooth decay. An accurate final impression and a crown that seals the margins after having examined under a microscope by the laboratory technician can assure a more successful outcome and longer lasting restoration.

 

 

 

When we look at crowns with recurrent decay, we must take a number of factors into consideration.

*  Is the decay extensive (deep) or shallow?

*  Is the area of decay easily accessible to dental instruments?

*  Can the dentist be sure to remove all the decay without removing the crown?

The simplest solution is to place a small filling at the crown margin where the tooth and the crown meet to eliminate the decay and seal the crown, in order to prevent the decay from getting worse.  If the decay is too deep, or inaccessible it is best, although more complicated to remove the crown and place a new one after the decay is removed. 

It's important to remember that when a tooth has a crown placed on it, it is because that tooth already has a history of being filled and refilled.  The reason to place the crown is to protect and fortify an already structurally compromised tooth.  If the decay under the crown is not treated properly and is allowed to progress, by the time it is properly dealt with, there may not be enough healthy tooth structure left to work with.

Prevention is the best approach.  Brush your crown well, floss around it daily, and use a toothpaste that contains fluoride.  Be sure to visit your dentist for your regular active maintenance visits so that if a problem arises, it can be caught while it is a small problem and dealt with in a timely manner.