As reliable as it may look, a metal dental crown comes with some sizable downsides. You’d actually do well to replace it with a ceramic and tooth-colored one instead. But you’re likely wondering: What are these downsides that you should switch out your metallic cap? Your Melbourne dentist is here to tell you, so there’s no need to wonder or puzzle. Just keep reading to learn four reasons to replace your metal dental crown soon.
Metal Crowns Harm Your Smile
First and foremost, a metal crown isn’t all that great for your smile. This restoration harms your oral health over time, despite its protective effects.
Keep in mind that metal isn’t a natural part of the human body. Due to its foreign nature, a metallic crown can cause green-colored gums, major allergic reactions, and similar effects. Such a cap can also trigger the onset (and hiding) of decay, meaning your tooth would get poor protection from bacteria.
Metal Crowns Corrode Implants
Another point to consider is that metal crowns corrode dental implants. If you keep these restorations around, your new teeth will fail more quickly.
An implant post’s titanium doesn’t react well to a metal crown. As the former interacts with gold (and similar materials), it generates an electric current that causes corrosion. A metal crown could thus make your implant stop working properly, leading to an unwanted smile gap.
Metal Crowns Cause Sensitivity
If you have a metal crown, it’ll cause bouts of tooth sensitivity. This irritation will then disrupt your day-to-day tasks and habits.
The issue is a matter of conductivity. Metal is a great conductor of heat, whether the type in question is gold, silver, or other alloys. That means a metal crown can channel temperature changes, sending them into your tooth’s inner nerves. This effect is especially bad if the cap is rather old, to the point that your smile may hurt when hot or cold foods touch your tooth.
Metal Crowns Disrupt MRIs
A metal crown won’t just make things harder for your grin. Left unchecked, it’s likely to disrupt any MRIs you need to get.
You know how metal has natural magnetism? The same applies to a crown made of nickel or gold, so this cap will respond to an MRI’s magnetic field. This response will distort the medical device’s pictures, ruining its ability to detect health issues. The crown could even become drawn to the MRI’s magnet and fly off your tooth!
Given the points above, replace your metal crown as soon as possible. A dentist will gladly put a ceramic cap in its place.
About the Practice
Eley Family Dentistry is based in Melbourne, FL. Led by Drs. Joel and Daniel Eley, our practice truly makes effective, tailored, and terrific dental work its top priority. That’s the reason we offer a comprehensive range of services, from checkups and cleanings to tooth-colored dental crowns. Whatever problem your grin has, you can trust our dental team to handle it! For more details or to book a visit, please contact us on our website or by phone at (321)-622-8711.