Redness at or around the site of the crown placement. Swelling of the gums or jaw around the area that now has the crown. Tenderness or pain around the crown. Unusual warmth that you only feel in one area of your mouth and is unrelated to any hot food or drink that you may have just had.
Your crown could be putting pressure on a traumatized nerve and if an infection occurs, it can be painful. One cause of infections could come from previous fillings that may have had leakages resulting in bacteria infecting the nerve root.
Sensitivity or discomfort
If a crowned tooth still has a nerve in it, a patient can experience some heat and cold sensitivity. If a person notices pain or sensitivity when biting down, it could mean that the dental crown is too high. If this happens, a patient should contact the dentist.
It may be that the crown has not bonded properly to your tooth, or has become infected due to improper placement. Either way, you should seek the attention of your dentist if pain persists or gets worse after two weeks.
Unfortunately, as you are trapped in an unusual predicament, the sole option available to you is to have the decay under the crown treated by a dentist by getting the restoration removed, the infection treated, and the dental crown replaced over your tooth to protect it.
How to tell if your tooth is rotting beneath a crown. If the affected area is quite small, it can be hard to detect any cavities or decay underneath it. To determine this, the dentist will usually use an x-ray. It will be up to him or her to know whether the teeth underneath are rotten or has any damage.
Answer: Removing crowns
The best way to answer this is with an in-person evaluation, but yes your crowns can be removed, but you'll need new crowns. I recommend getting a consultation with a Prosthodontist, who can discuss with you the different options.
You should seek emergency dental care if you lose a crown or filling and experience any signs of infection, since bacteria from these infections can spread to other areas of your body. This can lead to life-threatening symptoms if the infection is left untreated.
When you are suffering from a tooth infection, you may want an easy solution, such as a course of antibiotics. However, antibiotics won't cure your tooth infection.
Other common rinses include peppermint tea, alcohol, and a 3 percent hydrogen peroxide solution. They all kill bacteria, and the alcohol can even provide a numbing effect to the area surrounding the crown. You could also apply tea tree oil or apple cider vinegar to the crown site with a soaked cotton swab.
You might experience temporary discomfort after dental crown placement. However, the pain should not last for over two weeks. Unfortunately, if it does after getting dental crowns near you without subsiding after two weeks, you must discuss the issue with the provider for assistance.
Oral bacteria are tricky little rascals, and they can make their way underneath a crown, particularly if the person does not have good oral hygiene. When these bacteria get underneath the crown, they begin to convert any sugars that make their way into the crown to acids that eat away at enamel.
Treatment for an Infection
Treatment for decay or infection below a crown may entail: Removing the existing crown. Addressing the decay by filling or extracting the remainder of the tooth. Creating a new crown to accommodate the filling and what remains of the tooth.
Developing a cavity underneath your crown may cause you to experience pain within your tooth. If left untreated, it may spread throughout your remaining tooth structure. Decay stems from the food that is left within your mouth after eating, which the bacteria living in your mouth thrives on.
Usually there is metal underneath the porcelain or the crown is made entirely of metal. This metal makes it impossible for the tooth structure inside of the crown to be seen on a radiograph (x ray).
Because the tooth under the dental crown is still alive, tooth decay or a new cavity can form at the border of the tooth and the crown. This can lead to persistent pain in the area. If a tooth cavity grows large enough and affects the nerve, you might need a root canal procedure.
Keeping a dental crown clean
Patients with a dental crown as part of an implant should use a soft-bristled toothbrush no less than twice a day. As for the type of toothpaste, it is important to select a non-abrasive formula. The individual needs to brush around and under the dental crown as much as possible.
The gum tissue may still be irritated
If you're experiencing discomfort in the first few days after a new crown is placed, it may simply be a result of normal gum irritation, tenderness, and sensitivity. Try taking over-the-counter pain medications containing ibuprofen as directed to address any pain and discomfort.
In some situations the original crown can be removed and re-cemented into place. New crowns might be required to meet your objectives for a healthy and beautiful smile. This new crowns are fabricated in the same way the as the original.
You can replace the crown as many times as you want if there is nothing wrong with it. What we mean by that is that there is no tooth decay underneath the cap. In this case, your dentist can simply remove it and just remake a new one without harming the underlying tooth structure.
If there are open margins around a crown, bacteria can get into the space and cause decay around and under the restoration. Bacteria can also irritate and infect the gum tissue, leading to gum disease.
Before you worry, know that there is an adjustment period to any crown. It often takes two, maybe even three or four days to adjust to having this new crown in your mouth. If it feels uneven for the first two or three days, that's a normal part of having a new crown.