My old crown doesn't bother me. Why replace it?
The short answer
Problems with an old crown often don't hurt until they're advanced. Your dentist may see decay at the edge, a gap, or a crack on an X-ray or up close. Age alone usually isn't a reason to replace a crown.
Common reasons
- Decay at the edge of the crown, which can grow underneath it
- A gap between the crown and the tooth, where food and bacteria get in
- Broken or chipped porcelain, or a crown worn through
- A crack in the tooth underneath
- A crown that's loose or keeps coming off
- Appearance, such as a dark line at the gum. This is often cosmetic.
If your gum has pulled back and the edge of the crown shows, that alone usually isn't a reason to replace it, unless there's decay there or you don't like how it looks.
Will insurance pay?
Most plans pay to replace a crown only after a set time has passed, often five years or more. See Insurance says I had this done too recently.
If your crown needs replacing sooner, for example because it broke or has decay underneath, your dentist can ask the plan to make an exception. See asking the plan for an exception.
Replacing a crown for appearance alone may not be covered.
Questions to ask
- Can you show me the problem on the X-ray or a photo?
- Is this something we can watch for now?
- Could the crown be repaired instead of replaced?
- How old is the crown, if you know?
- Before we schedule, can I get my cost in writing? (A predetermination if I'm using insurance, or a good faith estimate if I'm paying myself.)
When a second opinion makes sense
Reasonable if the crown isn't very old, you can't see the problem on an X-ray or photo, or several crowns are recommended for replacement at once.