My new crowns feel bulky and make my teeth feel dry. My dentist replaced my old, discolored composite with crowns. But since I got the crowns in September, she adjusted the bite six times, and they still do not feel right. The crowns give me a lisp, and I keep chattering my teeth. I don’t know if it’s the crowns or my nerves.
I seem to get relief from Chewing gum, although I have not chewed gum in years. My dentist says the crowns look fine, but they do not look fine, nor do they feel good on my teeth. Should I see another dentist to adjust the crowns, or am I overthinking the issue and making myself nervous? Thank you. Dawn from Chicago
Dawn,
Thank you for your question.
Unfortunately, replacing dental bonding with crowns is an aggressive treatment. Dental bonding requires conservative tooth preparation, but your dentist had to shave your teeth down for crowns. An advanced cosmetic dentist would have replaced the bonding only.
Do Dental Crowns Make Your Teeth Chatter?
If dental crowns make your teeth chatter, it is likely because your bite is off. When a dentist places crowns correctly, they are natural and comfortable. But you said that your crowns have not fit since you received them.
You should not try to adjust to the way your crowns look and feel. Bite issues eventually cause other symptoms like jaw pain, earaches, and headaches—symptoms of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder.
What Can You Do If your Crowns Are Too Large?
If your crowns are too large or bulky and your dentist cannot correct the issues, schedule a second opinion from a cosmetic dentist with advanced training in occlusion and bite. The training helps dentists understand how your upper and lower teeth should come in contact when you close your mouth, bite, and chew.
A skilled cosmetic dentist can provide new crowns that look and feel natural.
Dr. Duane Delaune, an cosmetic dentist in Metairie, Louisiana, sponsors this pose.