I had beautiful porcelain crowns done on my front teeth. I was really proud of them and was careful to take excellent care of them. I do not smoke. I drink one cup of coffee a day and then water the remainder of the day. I brush three times a day and floss twice a day. I have only had them for six months and they are starting to stain and look yellowish. Do you know what is going on?
Liz
Dear Liz,
Something is definitely wrong with your porcelain crowns. Generally, unless they’ve been damaged somehow, restorations are more stain-resistant than your natural teeth. I can think of a few possibilities going on here, but the only way to know with certainty is to have a good cosmetic dentist look at them.
Possibility One: Your Crowns were Damaged During Your Cleaning
You mentioned you have had your porcelain crowns for six months. Is there a possibility you have recently gone in for a cleaning? Sometimes a hygienist will not understand the tragic results of using a power prophy jet or acidulated fluoride during your cleaning. Either one of these will cause damage to the glazing. It’s the glaze on porcelain which makes them stain-resistant.
The best cosmetic dentists will instruct their staff on how to properly treat the dental work.
Possibility Two: The Lab Didn’t Finish the Glaze
There is always a possibility that the lab didn’t finish the crowns with their glazing. They would look good at first and slowly pick up stains. Because you are so diligent with your oral care you are just now starting to notice the issue.
Possibility Three: Your Dentist Didn’t Really Use Porcelain
We have seen some unethical dentists who told their patients they were placing porcelain but actually placed composite. This will, again, look good at first but is not nearly as stain-resistant.
Getting This Fixed
Your first step is to get a second opinion from a highly recommended cosmetic dentist in your area. Don’t tell them who did the work. Just tell them the crowns have been picking up stains and you would like their opinion as to why.
If it turns ut your dentist damaged them or mislead you, you don’t want just a refund. You want them to pay to have them done correctly by another dentist. If the problem was actually the lab, it should be the lab that fixes the issue.
If the crowns have to be redone, this gives you an excellent opportunity to brighten your smile with teeth whitening. It’s a way to get a bonus out of a disaster.
This blog is brought to you by Hoffman Estates Dentist Dr. William Becker.