I have a tooth that has been crowned for 4 years or so. It’s been hurting consistently, so I went to my dentist. She says there is a cavity beneath the crown. I thought crowns protected teeth, so how could there be a cavity in the tooth? – Shelli
Shelli – It is possible to get a cavity beneath crown, but it’s unusual to get the cavity beneath a crown that is only four year sold.
When a crown is placed, the margin—where the crown meets your tooth—should have no gaps. The smallest gap will leave room for plaque. Plaque will attract decay.
Insurance companies usually require that a crown be in place five years before it is replaced. Dentists expect crowns to last much longer than that.
We recommend that you have the crown examined by a skilled cosmetic dentist.
This post is sponsored by Lowell cosmetic dentist Dr. Michael Szarek.