How Long Do Dental Crowns Last?

Hi Chipped Crown!

This is a really difficult question to answer.  There are just too many factors involved.  Many of which depend on the patient that gets the crown, let alone the crown itself.

What I can tell you is that I have seen well done, and well maintained crowns last decades. 

Its interesting to note that many insurance companies will pay for replacement crowns after 8 years.  Since these companies use their vast accumulation of data to make reasonable denials of any payment as much as they can, we can probably garner some notion on how long they last on average by insurance companies willingness to pay for replacements after 8 years.

Best,

Dr. Alper

Crowns don't have a set amount of time that they should last because there are a variety of factors that can affect their longevity. Most importantly, how well you take care of them (avoiding bad habits and making sure to go to your routine dental cleanings), what type of material was used, the experience of the provider, etc. Insurance companies typically will only replace a crown that is 5-8 years old, but no sooner than that. Crowns really should last much longer than that if done correctly and cared for well. Hope this helps!

Thank you for your question. There many factors that determine how long crowns last. First, the question should be asked : why were the crowns "installed" in the first place. That determines etiology of the problem.  Usually they are used when very large size fillings are braking apart, or a tooth is broken or worn down. If patient is a grinder, crowns will not last as long as in normal situation. In general, they should last many years assuming patient takes care of them .In our office we offer 5 year guarantee as long as patient keeps hygiene maintenance prescribed.

depends on the material, skill of dentist, and habbits of the patient.

all porcelain crowns are a little weaker than zirconia base or metal based crowns.

If you broke your crown after two years, consider wearing a night guard and having your bite evaluated.

Crowns should last a long time. As you know proper checkups and dental hygiene are very important. That being said, 80% of crown/dental restoration failures can be attributed to bire issues, meaning that you may be a grinder or clencher.  These added forces to the best dental crowns, will cause them to break.  Are your teeth worn down, does your jaw click or pop on opening or closing?, Headaches?, Neck Pain? Theses can all be symptoms of a bite imbalance.

I have seen crowns lasting as long as fifty years and some fail within a few years.  Both cases are rare but could happen pending many circumstances: 


Grinding - Stability of Bite

Periodontal (gum) health

Oral Hygiene care

Missing teeth : the fewer the better

Condition of the tooth under the crown : the more tooth structure the better

Condition of your adjacent teeth : the healthier the better

Systemic Health : Such conditions as diabetes in the long run can create gum issues which will weaken your overall dental health.

Dry Mouth / Medication:  Certain medication or even radiation treatment will create a dry mouth which in turn will increase cavities


Having a crown break within two years is unpleasant and uncommon but there could be many possible reasons.  I am sure your dentist will try and find out why this occurred  so it does not reoccur. 

Under ideal circumstances Dental Crowns can last for many many years up to a lifetime! When you consider that most Dental Insurance companies are willing to pay for a crown Replacement after 5 Years that tells you that there are many factors that determine Crown Longevity. If the Patient has Clenching or Bruxism habits or perhaps TMJ Dysfunction this can cause premature wear and chipping and thus loss of usefullness of the Crown. Does the patient in question have excellent home care and adhere to a sound schedule or Recare? There is no question that poor hygiene and poor maintenance habits can lead to recurrent decay under the crown and cause need for its premature replacement. There are also Technical issues that can allow for a crown to last for many years or for just a few years. Where the right materials selected based on the circumstances and specific needs of the patient? Did the dentist use accurate impressions and send the case to a competent lab Technician? Was the Crown inserted under dry conditions with well mixed and dispensed cements? You can see that there are indeed many factors that will ultimately determine how long your Dental Crowns will last! The average lifespan from what I am familiar with is 7 to 15 years. Good Luck! 

Tough question to answer.  There are so many factors to take into consideration in this situation. 

1. Location of the crown may be a factor.  Front vs. back

2. Material used.  Gold and zirconium are the strongest.  Porcelain is strong but must be used in the correct situation

3. Extent of damage the tooth sustained prior to the crown placement.

4. Home care

5. Oral habits. Bruxism, grinding etc.

Under normal circumstances a well placed crown would last more than 2 years.  Maybe you should visit with your dentist to determine the area that failed and address that problem before replacing the crown.

Most often these fractures happen due to night time grinding and clenching.  We ALL do it.  Some more than others.  When we eat we typically put 80-90 pounds per square inch of pressure on our teeth.  Amazingly, people have been recorded at 3000 pounds per square inch in their sleep.  I guess your brain just isn't there to tell you to stop!  

Typically if you break a tooth or restoration while eating, it was already fractured and just waiting to pop.  That's unless you are eating rocks or jawbreakers, etc. 

That said, I usually replace anything I did that breaks in only a few years, just because it feels pretty crummy to have something I did fail.  I would, though, insist on you getting a night guard and using it.  Then, if fractures continue, if you're honestly not wearing the guard - it's your problem!  Hope that makes sense.

It is rare for a crown to fail alone, but not uncommon for the patient to fail their crown.  Crowns, whether gold, porcelain on metal or all porcelain do not decay.  This does not mean that a tooth neglected of good hygiene practice will not decay.  Decay under a poorly maintained crown is the most common cause of crown failure in patients I have seen over years of dental practice.   Poor hygiene is not the only reason.  Although teeth are tools to help us to bite, chew and speak, they are not tools for holding roofing nails, biting finger nails or removing bottle caps.  Using a porcelain crown inappropriately can cause the porcelain to chip or fracture or the porcelain veneered on the metal base to break off.  Common sense is key.  So long as the crown is manufactured to the highest standards, choosing the right material and fitted to your bite properly, it will have the potential to last a lifetime.