Broken crown after one week!!

[jcny212]

I had 5 fittings to put this crown (#13 tooth) in and get the size and fit right.  It's porcelain over noble metal and today the back half of the porcelain cracked over while eating a soft meatloaf!!  Now what?  Will this Dentist have to work on it even though my insurance ended?  Will he charge me?  Is there something wrong with his lab?  I don't have the piece (I think I swallowed it) so will he glue on something else or remove the crown and send it back to the lab?  Can he get the glue off??  By the way...the tooth next to it is reacting to cold and he kept saying it was referred pain.  Now he says maybe it also needs a root canal but there's no insurance left.  Is the pain related to the root canal near it?

[Gellia]

"Let me guess:  Rinse my mouth with salt water, eat nothing but soft stuff and call him Monday to replace the temp?"  

See,..you're good!  Yes, you can do that, or you can get temp cement at the drug store and temp glue it back on until your appt.  You have to be careful eating with temp glue, though.  You don't want to swallow your crown, even if it is only a temp one.

That your perm crown will be in on Wed. is great.  Make sure you are happy with it before it is permanently cemented on.  Look at it in all lights and don't allow yourself to be rushed.  This crown is forever and you want to be happy with it.  Your dentist should want you to be happy too.  Remember, YOU are his/her best advertisement and they should want you to be very happy.

Hang in there.  It's almost over.  Once you get your perm crown in place you can address tooth #14.   In the meantime, yes, rinse with warm salt water and eat soft food on the chance that #14 is just traumatized and will heal on its own.  If you can take OTC ibuprofen, take that.  It's an anti inflammatory and will help #14 settle down.  

GOOD LUCK.  Once you get your perm crown I think you'll be much happier.  Do let us know.  We LOVE success stories!

My very best to you,
Gellia

[jcny212]

... and now the temp fell off and I put it in a plastic jar.  I have a gnarly stump where I used to have a tooth.   Let me guess:  Rinse my mouth with salt water, eat nothing but soft stuff and call him Monday to replace the temp?  The new crown is supposed to go in when it comes back from the lab on Wednesday, but I'm guessing it's not good to leave this thing open for too long.  The saga continues.  As for #14, it hurts, but only if I eat or drink, so I know I better address it as soon as the #13 is squared away.  I wish this guy would take pity on me and help me with 14, but he just doesn't want to deal with it.  He doesn't seem to have that many patients and he doesn't employ a Hygienist, so maybe he feels his practice can't really deal with anyone needing any charity or discounted work.  Am I at a risk for infection while I wait for a new temp?  Should I try to stick the temp back on?  Thanks for all your advice, by the way, I really do appreciate not feeling so alone.....

[Gellia]

Your dentist is being medically correct and really can't rush procedures because of insurance constraints.  To do so could be construed as negligent.  A cold fact is that you can't hurry some dental things.  Refilling a tooth that already is cold sensitive is asking for a root canal.  If it was referred pain it would heal and the RCT would be unnecessary and uncalled for.  

Your other dentist basically has told you the same thing.  She doesn't want to touch the tooth until the crown is in place.  Again, insurance can't be part of good medical decision making.  

Your cost for the crown should be complete.  That means you get a crown that satisfies both you and your dentist and that you are happy with it.  It should be all inclusive in the cost unless other procedures have been necessary and have nothing to do with the crown.  That the lab didn't get it right (it should not fall apart) is not your fault.  It should still all be under the one procedure.  If they want to give you a bill for other services you should know what they are for and why they were necessary and outside the initial crown costs.

Good luck.  Having a problem with a neighboring tooth when you have an crown placed is like a shot in the dark.  It does sometimes happen and usually has nothing to do with other treatment.

Hope this helps.
My best to you,
Gellia

[jcny212]

Thanks so much for answering me.  It helped me to know what to expect.  The Dentist removed the entire crown and made a new mold to send back to the lab.  As for the neighbor tooth - the sensitivity to cold is getting worse every day.  It gets sensitive to hot as well... so.... I'm probably in a lot of trouble.  I told this Dentist that my insurance would run out six weeks before it did, but he just kept saying he didn't want to touch it because he didn't "see decay" on the film.  I told him that the filling was 25 years old and if he opened it up and replaced it, the insurance would cover it, but he refused.  Meanwhile another Dentist did her own x-ray, saw "some decay" and said she would work on it, but that it's too close to the tooth getting the crown and shouldn't be touched until his crown was in place.  His crown took 5 fittings and went back and forth to the lab until my Insurance ran out.  Now no one will touch me without giving me a big bill which I can't afford because I'm on a Disability fixed income.  I have no idea what to do.

[Gellia]

Hi,
You really have no choice but to go back to the dentist that made the crown and ask.  Having the porcelain break off a noble metal base sounds like a lab problem.  You cannot glue anything to porcelain.  The crown would have to be removed and completely remade.

As for the pain in the neighboring tooth.  It could be referred pain, but you may have a problem with that tooth's nerve that has nothing to do with the tooth next to it.  Reacting to cold is normal.  If it reacts to heat, the nerve is probably dying and would need RCT treatment.

Hope this helps.
My very best to you and GOOD LUCK!
Gellia