Could I Change my Dental Crown After Discolouration?

Question

George Koutsoukos, DDS · Answer

You can always change the dental crown after discoloration, but I am afraid, you will be responsible or the cost.  The only reason that I would bear the cost is the color we decided on was darker than the rest of your teeth.  Porcelain crowns last for a long time without darkening. The darkening occurs with your natural teeth and not the porcelain crowns. I am so sorry that you are unhappy with your crown!

Norman Huefner, DDS · Answer

There is only one instance that I might consider trying to change the color of a crown that has been cemented into place, and that is IF 1) the color of the crown is DARKER than the adjacent teeth, and 2) if the ceramist put a surface layer of color onto the crown.  If both of those two conditions are met, the dentist might "try" to remove the darker surface layer of porcelain with polishing diamonds and polishers, leaving a slightly lighter final color. 

	If that doesn't work, or wasn't possible because the two conditions weren't met, then replacing the crown with a better matching color crown would be the best way to go.

	However, saying all of that, today using highly polishable modern dental porcelain for crowns rarely results in the crown changing color over time.  More often than not, it is the other adjacent natural teeth that discolor over time.  One exception might be when a semi-translucent ALL-porcelain crown (i.e. no metal underneath) is used and the underlying tooth discolors over time, yielding a darker looking tooth.  This happens occasionally when a tooth undergoes trauma (called traumatic discoloration) and/or ends up needing a root canal treatment.

Jay Neuhaus, DDS · Answer

A dental crown can always be changed. The dentist will charge you for making a new crown. I'm not sure what you are asking. Is it a brand new crown? What discolored, the crown or your other surrounding teeth?

Carson Calderwood, DDS · Answer

Crowns don't often change color so it would be good to know the cause of the discoloration as that can be indicative of a definite need to redo crown.  Is it more in the root or gums at the edge of the crown?  Have you done recent bleaching where your other teeth look whiter making the crown appear to be now darker than it used to?
	
	If you have dental insurance and want to make sure they will pay their portion they likely won't if the crown is less than five years old and you've been on that same insurance plan for the past five years.

Aria Irvani, DDS · Answer

You can always change crowns. If the crown is discolored over time  you have to know why it happened. Was it a translucent crown and the underlying tooth color change?

Could I Change my Dental Crown After Discolouration?

Answers (5)

Answer: You definitely can.

Answer: You definitely can.

Answer: Yes

Answer: Yes

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Everything you need to know about Dental Crown

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Could I Change my Dental Crown After Discolouration?

Answers (5)

Answer: You definitely can.

Answer: You definitely can.

Answer: Yes

Answer: Yes

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Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Dental Crown

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.