Whether you recently had your crown placed or a crown that has been in for a number of years just started to bug you, we can help you figure out what’s wrong. Luckily crown pain isn’t always serious, the problem could stem from grinding your teeth at night to some decay.
Causes of Crown Pain
Sore Gums
After your crown is placed, your gums will be sore for a couple of days. If your gums are sore for more than 2 weeks, give us a call and we can discuss what other symptoms you’re experiencing.
Teeth Grinding
If you grind your teeth and have crowns, you need to get a mouthguard to protect your teeth and crowns. Overtime, you could break your crowns in your sleep and grind down your real teeth. This will only result in pain and needing more dental work completed.
Crown Doesn’t Match Bite
It’s possible to leave the clinic thinking that the crown fits great, but as your mouth regains feeling from the anesthetic, you might notice the crown doesn’t fit right. If you’re feeling pain in your jaw, it could be that the crown is sitting too high or isn’t matching your bite. If you suspect this, give us a call to set up a follow-up appointment to re-fit the crown.
Decay
If bacteria seeps underneath the crown, you could form a cavity underneath. Since the tooth underneath the crown is still alive, it can still decay due to prolonged exposure to bacteria. The only way to prevent this is to keep the area around the crown clean by brushing your teeth and flossing daily.
Infection
The nerve of the tooth is still alive underneath the crown and can become infected. If the nerve of the tooth becomes infected, you’ll need a root canal. The process then would be to remove the crown, clean out the pulp or root from the tooth, fill the tooth, and then cap it with another crown.
Preventing Crown Pain
To best prevent crown pain, brush and floss your teeth regularly. Good oral hygiene will help keep your gums strong and healthy and prevent tooth decay. If you have jaw pain in addition to crown pain in the morning, it’s likely you grind your teeth. Call us today and we can make you a night guard to protect your teeth at night.
When To Make An Appointment
If your crown pain is significant, we suggest that you come in as soon as you can. Putting it off might make the outcome worse, so definitely jump on it! If you need some help with the pain before your appointment, Tylenol and ibuprofen work great. If the pain is too much to handle, please come in for an emergency appointment. We hope to see you soon!
