Dr. Hall,
\nMy last dentist said that I needed a crown on the very back molar on the top left side. A root canal was not done beforehand, however.<\/p>\n
Subsequently, about 10 months post-crown, I accidentally was grinding my teeth and broke the porcelain off. First, is it common to crown a live tooth? I had never heard of that before. Secondly, when I look up at the molar now it is pitch black, and when I asked the Doctor, he said not to worry about it, that it was more or less cosmetic but would not pose any sort of health hazard. What do you think? Thank you in advance for your advice!
\nSincerely,
\n-Steve from Minnesota<\/p>\n
Steve, Second, about the porcelain chipping off. It’s an indication of problems with the laboratory work, and we don’t like it when that happens. But if there is a metal foundation under the crown it doesn’t require replacement of the crown. The metal will protect the tooth. Related links:
\nFirst, yes, it is common practice to crown a tooth that doesn’t have a root canal treatment. Anytime there is a significant risk that a tooth might break, it is prudent to have a crown put on it. The connection with root canal treatment<\/a> is that when a root canal treatment is done, it makes the tooth much more susceptible to breaking and so, especially with a back tooth, a crown is almost always in order.<\/p>\n
\n– Dr. Hall<\/p>\n
\nDental crown<\/a><\/p>\n\n
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