Gum infection after 4 crowns

[lemonice1]

About 3 months ago I had some cosmetic dental work done on my top four front teeth to close a gap tha I had.  I had four temporary crowns for about 2 weeks, and I developed a gum infection around the crowns.  My dentist explained that this was because temporaries don't fit snuggly at the gum line, which can cause bacteria to develop.  He decided to remove the temporaries and cement in the permanents.  He gave me a perscription mouthwash and oral antibiotics.  I am nearly immune to antibiotics, however.  

Two months later I was still having the gum infection, so my dentist used a laser to remove some of the infected gum tissue.  He also suggested that I use a Proxabrush, which I have been using (which hurts like heck). It has been about a month now and, unfortunately, the infection has still not gone away.

Any ideas?  I hate to have the crowns removed because they look really good and the temporary crowns caused the infection in the first place.  Thanks a lot.

[Paula6982]

A related discussion, gum infection after implants was started.

[TINAT]

I have a dental question. I had a root canal in a tooth in June. We put a filling in so I could hold off on the crown so insurance would pay. I have not had any problems, as this was regular filling not the temp after the root canal. Last week I broke the tooth, I had no pain just a hole. I went to the dentist still painfree and she poked around thus starting the pain and then filled it. After still being in pain days later, I called her and she said the gum is probably irritated from the work and not to worry. Three days later the other half of the same tooth broke, we put a temp filling in and I was still having pain. Now over a week from the initial work my tooth still hurts and I think I have a small lump on the roof of my mouth. and the gums are sore to the touch. I went to see her and she still says it is just irritated and to rinse with salt water. Could this be an infection? Could something be trapped bewteen the gum and tooth area and the filling? Could she have caused damage and then put in the filling? I am ready to change dentists as this is not the first time she has told me she could not find a problem, like the original root canal, she kept saying I had tmj not a tooth problem. Please help.

[Jerome Bogin, D.D.S.]

If the infection has not cleared up by now I would think that the crowns should be removed. I think you can place temporaries that are not irritating to the tissue. At times temporaries have to remain on for extended period of time and they do just fine. It depends how the temps are made, the corrrect contour and whether they are polished so they will not be an irritant to the gingiva. I think at this point you may need to bite(excuse the pun) the bullet and start over.

[mike1105]

i'd see a periodontist (gum specialist) to get an opinion as to why this is happenning. I would seek such an opinion independantly of your current cosmetic dentist-- ie get a referral from a friend or family to a periodontist.