# How long do dental crowns last? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 15, 2017, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-do-dental-crowns-last/791344 "2017-07-15T20:11:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![anomalous1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e56c9b/32.png) [@anomalous1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anomalous1)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2017, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-do-dental-crowns-last/791344/21 "2017-07-16T21:59:47Z")
I recently got a root canal about a year ago and had a porcelain crown put on, I am hoping for a long time. My dentist was fresh out of school and actually debated about how to put the adhesive in it. Saying some dentists just put a little bit on the tooth and put the crown on, or a dab inside, he put a lot. Any dentists here want to chime in on this? It took me 14 years of not going to the dentist for a root canal to be necessary, I hope it goes on this way. Anyhow enough of the anecdote. I asked as well and they said anywhere from 15-25 years is the normal expectancy. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2017, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-do-dental-crowns-last/791344/22 "2017-07-16T22:11:30Z")
> [@pool](#): > > The OP mentioned it was two front teeth, so I think mentions of steel or gold are kind of worthless unless he wants to look like a pirate. With leaking crowns you’ll usually see some black coloring around the top or maybe even some recession of the gums around the top. Yeah. I thought I’d chime in with general information. My father died 20 years ago, so that crown was put on when dental care was a lot more primitive, and it still lasted. ---
**Author:** ![rsat3acr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@rsat3acr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsat3acr)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2017, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-do-dental-crowns-last/791344/23 "2017-07-17T00:33:26Z")
Dentist here. **Bijou Drains** Open margins are a function of the initial fit of the crown. Margins don’t open over time. It either had one to start or it didn’t. Now, one can get decay around the margin but that isn’t generally referred to as an open margin. If he says it has an open margin but had been fine for the ten previous years that seems a bit odd. If it is truly and open margin and has been like that 20 years and has no decay, I’d leave it alone. **anomalous1** On a crown that fits properly a thin layer of cement is proper. Too much cement prevents proper seating of the crown. Just like most glue situations more is not usually better. How long crowns last of course is highly variable. Some a function of the crown and or dentist and some not. Twenty years is good, many go much longer. I’ve seen some over 60 years old. I always hope the ones I place will go at least 20 years. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2017, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-do-dental-crowns-last/791344/24 "2017-07-17T02:48:58Z")
thanks rsat3acr. This dentist did not put on these crowns, it was my previous dentist. They only mentioned the open margins recently. If there is decay they would just call it decay or is there another term for it ? ---
**Author:** ![rsat3acr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@rsat3acr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsat3acr)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2017, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-do-dental-crowns-last/791344/25 "2017-07-17T12:59:31Z")
if it is decay that is what I call it. That is what they should say. As I said open margins are a function of initial placement of the crown. Ask him to clarify the situation. ---
**Author:** ![shiftless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9c0ed/32.png) [@shiftless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shiftless)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2017, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-do-dental-crowns-last/791344/26 "2017-07-17T13:15:44Z")
Had four crowns over the years, all lower back molars. One lasted all of two years before it broke in half. Another one came lose and fell off after maybe 5 years. The dentist, a very expensive Northern VA guys, makes zero claims or promises on his workmanship it turns out but he would be more than happen to redo the work again for a similar price. I don’t think that is uncommon but don’t get much chance to shop around. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2017, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-do-dental-crowns-last/791344/27 "2017-07-17T14:57:22Z")
Sorry to glom on to another thread but I have a had a crown on my front tooth for about a year now and the gum around the edge never fully healed. It is tender and bleeds easily. Is that normal? I asked my dentist early on and they said it was because I was not brushing enough in that area which was true at the time because I was nervous about the crown but since then I have brushed it as much as anywhere else. Did that happen to anyone else? ---
**Author:** ![rsat3acr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@rsat3acr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsat3acr)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2017, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-do-dental-crowns-last/791344/28 "2017-07-17T15:34:06Z")
> [@Quimby](#): > > Sorry to glom on to another thread but I have a had a crown on my front tooth for about a year now and the gum around the edge never fully healed. It is tender and bleeds easily. Is that normal? I asked my dentist early on and they said it was because I was not brushing enough in that area which was true at the time because I was nervous about the crown but since then I have brushed it as much as anywhere else. Did that happen to anyone else? Normal? not really. Frequent? yes. Usually when this happens it is a function of the thickness of the crown irritating the gums. Can also be a function of where the edge of the crown is in relation to the gums. Can be from poor hygiene but if you are keeping it clean including daily flossing then it is probably the crown. Short of replacing the crown there isn’t much else that can be done and unless it is severe inflammation v. just a bit it isn’t usually worth the trouble to replace the crown. Make sure that they a monitoring the gingival pocket depth and the bone level in the area. As long as there is no bone loss or increasing pockets it is more an aesthetic issue. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2017, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-do-dental-crowns-last/791344/29 "2017-07-17T17:13:04Z")
> [@rsat3acr](#): > > Normal? not really. Frequent? yes. Usually when this happens it is a function of the thickness of the crown irritating the gums. Can also be a function of where the edge of the crown is in relation to the gums. Can be from poor hygiene but if you are keeping it clean including daily flossing then it is probably the crown. Short of replacing the crown there isn’t much else that can be done and unless it is severe inflammation v. just a bit it isn’t usually worth the trouble to replace the crown. Make sure that they a monitoring the gingival pocket depth and the bone level in the area. As long as there is no bone loss or increasing pockets it is more an aesthetic issue. I appreciate it. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2017, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-do-dental-crowns-last/791344/30 "2017-07-18T03:29:21Z")
Regarding dentistry in Mexico, this is a fairly common thing Canadians do (many Canadians have vacation time-shares in Mexico). We do have universal healthcare, but that doesn’t include dental work, and dental work is pretty damned expensive here. I think you should get a second opinion, too. Crowns (in my opinion) are tricky bastards. I have three (and a bridge) and mine hurt all the time. Other people say theirs never hurt. They seem to be very objective. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-do-dental-crowns-last/791344.md?page=1)