Can crown be ground to fit opposing teeth?

Question

I recently had a root canal and crowning of my upper left molar. The problem is that it grinds against the opposing teeth. He made some minor adjustments while fitting, but was not enough. He suggested to grind a sharp opposing lower tooth .02mm. I was against this, as natural teeth are precious. So, how much porcelain thickness does he have to play with? This is metal on the inside, porcelain on the outside. In the extreme, how hard will it be too take out the crown? Thanks!

Sarah Thompson, DMD · Answer

The need for an adjustment after having a crown placed is not uncommon. How much of an adjustment is possible would really depend on how thick the porcelain is in the area that needs to be adjusted. I would recommend following up with the same dentist who placed your crown. He should be able to tell you how much adjustment can be made. Your dentist may be concerned that further adjusting the crown will make it too thin, and this is why he suggested making a slight adjustment to the opposing tooth.  I hope this helps. Click save on the save button below my name, so that you may ask me more questions in the future.

Joseph B. Silberman, DMD, FAGD · Answer

The crown can certainly be further adjusted. There are 2 downsides. 1. Depending on the thickness of the porcelain, the metal beneath the crown may be exposed which doesn't look so nice and 2. The porcelain that remains after adjusting may not be able to be fully polished which can then lead to opposing tooth wear.

In terms of removing the crown, it's usually straightforward to remove a crown with metal beneath the porcelain. It would be a last resort and not typical for your situation. A slight adjustment would probably suffice. I hope this helps!

Brenda Berkal, DMD · Answer

Generally, I would suggest the dentist further reshape the crown.  A really sharp spot on the opposite tooth might warrant a little polishing.

Crowns used to typically be porcelain baked onto a gold or metal sub-structure.  Today many crowns are solid zirconia or porcelain.

Leaving a crown (or filling) too tall can become very painful, and could cause further damage.

Can crown be ground to fit opposing teeth?

Answers (3)

More Dental Crown Questions

WE SEND PRETTY
EMAILS

Can crown be ground to fit opposing teeth?

Answers (3)

More Dental Crown Questions

Bad crown; purple and red veins around gums?

Can Crowns be adjusted after they are permanently cemented?

Cost of putting back crown that came off after 5-6 years?

My crown as been fitted but it's not straight at bottom to my other tooth - can it be filed straight now it's been fitted?

Should I buy over the counter cement to put back the crown and post until my doctor appointment about 20 days from now?

Is it normal for your dental crown to have a rough texture?

WE SEND PRETTY EMAILS

WE SEND PRETTY
EMAILS