Both my top front teeth are porcelin - got them done about 16 years ago. Somehow, I always knew I would get them growing up as a kid - I’ve been told that when I was a baby (younger than 1) I ran a very high fever. As a result, it cracked/damaged both of my perm teeth so that when they came in they were slighly grey, but otherwise okay. I had overlays for the longest time until one broke when I was eating a pickle of all things. Very embarrassing.
I get pretty uptight at the dentist, and the procedrue took forever - I ended up getting more novacaine also as the original wore off completely, and we didn’t realize it until the drill started up again. OUCH!
I had my temps for a week before the permanent ones came in - one did come loose, and the dentist had me stick it back on with toothpaste, of all things. Just the plain white Colgate. I had my doubts, but it worked like a charm.
I’m thinking now that I need to replace them - I would love to whiten my teeth, but can’t because they’re right there in front. They’re also getting slighly loose (or it may be my imagination) and I think I remember the dentist saying they would last about 10-15 years, so I’m pushing my luck. The thought of shelling out another $600 for them again makes me ill though. Of course, that was in 1988, so maybe they’re cheaper now?
I have 12 crown, 6 of them in the top front, the others on molars plus some attached bridgework. I need four teeth either capped or pulled now.
I brush and floss like a madwoman but I have inherited very bad teeth. Both my parent and my older sister and brother have dentures already. I am hoping I can put that off indefinitely.
Don’t bank on it. I’ve had two crowns in the last year and never had any anaesthetic for placing the permanent crown - and there was no pain. Mind you, both teeth had had a root canal, so there was no nerve to worry about.
Oh dear, you paid $600.00 per crown AFTER INSURANCE? And you think it would have been cheaper to get porcelain-faced-gold crowns?
Darling, you got shafted. In many ways, but not in choosing the gold crowns. Gold is the next best thing we have after natural tooth structure. The ONLY reason to choose porcelain, or porcelain faced crowns, is for esthetics.
In any case, full gold crowns should be CHEAPER than porcelain/gold crowns…the lab fee is less. MUCH less.
I do have to add a caveat, though…even though the “crown” of your tooth is covered by a crown, there IS still tooth under there. You still need to floss around it in order to prevent decay from getting started. Although a gold crown, when done correctly, will not deteriorate, the tooth underneath CAN.
But sheesh, honey…I would seriously consider changing dentist’s if you had to pay 600.00 a crown AFTER insurance. We only charge $708.00 for a gold crown right now, and I am talkng about IN TOTAL…how could your dentist justify charging you enough to make you pay $600.00 AFTER INSURANCE? I am sorry, but that is RIDICULOUS!-
OOPS…I understand that different areas of the country charge different amounts for crowns for various reasons…but porcelain faced crowns require the use of platnized gold, and that is more expensive. I just cannot conceive how anyone could charge that much more for a GOLD crown.
I’d call the Better Business Bureau if I were you.
amarone, my dentist told me when it was time to come back for the permanent, she would leave it up to me whether I got anesthetic or not. I am a pansy, so of course I will :). Plus my tooth has been sensitive to pressure, so I expect it will hurt to get it pounded on again. I think they like it better if you don’t have anesthetic for the final, though, because it’s easier for you to tell if it fits right if you can really feel it. I figure I can always go back if it doesn’t feel right. And I know some people hate the shots more than any discomfort they feel without 'em. Not me, man. Shoot me up ;).
Scotticher, what does a root canal run these days? I am hoping I won’t ever need one, but if this tooth gets worse, I might. The dentist told me the crack in it runs all the way to the nerve. I’d like to know if I’m going to be needing a second job to pay for another procedure!
I think molar root canal runs around $800.00, more or less…we refer them to the endodontist, so I am not sure exactly.
I’d call the dentist, BTW, and tell them that the tooth aches occasionally and without provocation. They might want to check it out, since the original crack was so close to the nerve. Can you MAKE it hurt by biting down and moving your lower jaw back and forth? If you can, the temporary might be a tad bit high…and THAT can cause the tooth to ache. You’d be amazed how much pain can be caused by the bite being just a tiny bit off.
The fact that the tooth was sensitive to cold in the first place is probably a GOOD sign…in general, an abscessed or dying tooth will feel BETTER with cold, and WORSE with hot. Not always, but usually. If you put something cold on it when it hurts and that makes it feel better, call your dentist immediately.
Actually, it’s not sensitive to any temperatures at all now, one way or another. I mostly notice the ache in the morning or when I wake up in the middle of the night, so I think I must be pushing it around when I am asleep. Or maybe acid is getting to it - on the inside of the tooth, there is a gap I can feel between the temporary and the gum.
One really odd thing is that if I take some Advil, the ache is gone within 15 minutes flat. It’s amazing - I’ve never had any painkiller work that well or that quickly on anything. I took some before bed last night, and no problems at all. But I don’t want to have to keep taking them every day.
I’ll have to wait until Monday to call the dentist - they don’t work Friday-Sunday. <sigh>
With my last ones I had no warning before they popped the impression kit in my mouth - and I’ve got a pretty serious gag reflex. I didn’t barf, but I think they were afraid I was going to from the sound I made.
All my crowns are on molars, and gold crowns have never been suggested to me - and I’m fairly young (I was 22ish when I got my first one). Hmmmmm.
Lsura, When I was a kid, I had to have full lower and upper impressions made when I was going to have braces put on. It took lots of deep breathing to keep myself from hurling during that. Uck.
And a gold crown wasn’t suggested to me either. I’m 41, but I’d like to think I’ve got a little life left in me yet ;). I’ll be sure to ask if I have to do this again in the future.
The thing is, everyone is all gung ho over esthetics now. Most people want porcelain faced crowns even if they aren’t going to show. So, many dentists don’t even discuss the option with the patient… I think that is wrong, but then what do I know?
Well, I DO know that I chose gold on my molars when I had to have crowns. I’d rather keep my crowns longer and without problems than have them look like teeth.
Yeticus Rex is a very wise person, dentally speaking.
This has been a very enlightening discussion! Scotticher, thanks for the advice. I left a phone message for my dentist, and she called me back last night around dinnertime and said she felt my temporary needed to be adjusted, so I’ll be going in Monday to have that done.
Originally posted by smalltowngirl
They’re also getting slighly loose (or it may be my imagination) and I think I remember the dentist saying they would last about 10-15 years, so I’m pushing my luck. The thought of shelling out another $600 for them again makes me ill though. Of course, that was in 1988, so maybe they’re cheaper now?
STG
Ooops.
If you think they’re loose I’d get them checked out right away. My four front teeth are a bridge anchored to my eye teeth. I felt for a long time that the crown on the one eye tooth was loose but never mentioned it to the dentist. Then, as I was having my teeth cleaned one day, the particularly good hygenist noticed it. It turned out that my eye tooth was almost entirely rotten underneath the crown from food having worked its way under it. I had to have a root canal and thank goodness they were able to save enough of the tooth to recap it and glue the bridge back on. Otherwise I’d have been looking at an implant and if you think crowns are expensive, check out the prices on implants.