Dr. Hall,
So I had 8 crowns on top put on in 2021. They took them off last year, 2023, because they were causing my gums to swell and bleed.
So they took them back off and re-did them last July. I just got the second set taken back off a week ago because the same thing was happening. So I saw a periodontist and he said to keep my temps on for at least 3 months but the temps are just like the original ones. So I’m not sure if that’s going to help the gums heal?
I asked another doctor and he said they look too bulky and over-contoured up in the gums and aren’t fitting correctly on my real tooth. Do you think that is what’s causing it? I did a deep clean as well and the lady said she had to scrape some cement off up on the gum line.
I’m going to go get them re-done in Mexico here soon and showed them my x-rays so they have an idea. If they re-do them and they do them correctly will that help the gums de-swell do you think? Thanks!
– Ryan from Colorado
(See Dr. Hall’s answer below.)
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Ryan,
Not seeing this for myself, I can’t tell you if your crowns are over-contoured, but that sounds like a reasonable explanation. Yes, if the crowns are over-contoured, that will usually cause gum inflammation—swelling, redness, and bleeding. Your teeth have natural contours that provide for optimum health, and a crown should replicate those natural contours.
Here’s a drawing showing a normal contour of the crown on the left, and overcontouring of the crown on the right. The drawing doesn’t show a normal gumline—usually the margin of the crown will be under the gumline. Overcontouring of the crown causes two problems. First, it puts pressure on the gum. Second, it creates a trap for food particles under the bulge of the crown. Both of these contribute to irritation of the gums, causing gum disease which results in redness, swelling, and bleeding of the gums.
But that’s not the only problem. You said that the hygienist scraped off excess cement. The dentist who cemented the crown is supposed to clean off all excess cement before dismissing you. Not doing that is a major flub. To me, that level of sloppiness is unacceptable for dental care.
But I am puzzled by your going to Mexico to have this fixed. Really?! I would think that after getting burned by low-quality dental care, you would be averse to seeking bargain-basement dental care in Mexico. From stories I have received about Mexican dental care, I would not expect that you would get this properly fixed there.
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About David A. Hall
Dr. David A. Hall was one of the first 40 accredited cosmetic dentists in the world. He practiced cosmetic dentistry in Iowa, and in 1990 earned his accreditation with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. He is now president of Infinity Dental Web, a company in Mesa, Arizona that does advanced internet marketing for dentists.
Ryan Vaughan says
Thank you for that! I know this would be the 3rd time getting the crowns put back on where ever I decide to go. I asked for a refund. Not so hopeful that this is going to fix the problem the 3rd time, and if it doesn’t not sure what to do after that.