I have a low tolerance for pain, and my gums are burning after getting six crowns on my front teeth recently. I am concerned that I will need implants. The temporary crowns were terrible. I think there was leakage that was getting infected. My dentist took the temporaries off, did a fluoride treatment, and prescribed an antibiotic. No mention of a root canal. Finally, he fitted me for the crowns, but the bite was off, so he filed down my teeth even more. Then I could feel fluid seeping into the crowns and on my teeth.
We went back to temporary crowns and got a better fit. Three weeks ago, I got the new crowns, and my gums are burning. There is a hole on the back of one of my teeth. Fortunately, my dentist did not permanently cement the crowns yet. This situation is so annoying that I’m tempted to find another dentist to take them off to get rid of the pain. I’m in tears every morning from my frustration. What is happening? Could I be allergic to crowns and need dental implants instead? Thank you. Kristen
Kristen,
Without an exam from Dr. Pumphrey, we cannot tell why your gums are irritated. But we will offer insight. Please don’t allow your dentist to cement the crowns until you are perfectly comfortable with them.
Burning Gums After New Dental Crowns
One cause of burning gums might be the foundation of your crowns. Your dentist must tell you the composition of the metal in the crowns. If your crowns are porcelain fused to metal, you might have an allergic reaction to the crowns. If you do not know if you have an existing allergy, you can get tested for it and insist on crowns with a different metal.
If you have pure ceramic crowns, your dentist needs to identify the cause of your burning gums.
Crowns on All Front Teeth?
Dental implants
It is complicated to place crowns on all front teeth and achieve a balanced bite. But an advanced cosmetic dentist can correct your bite. Giving you a fluoride treatment doesn’t make sense. If your temporary crowns were leaking, fluoride would not kill the bacteria. It will only remineralize early decay in teeth. A peroxide rinse or chlorhexidine would effectively kill the bacteria.
Please do not schedule an emergency appointment with a dentist to remove the crowns. Schedule a second opinion appointment with an advanced dentist or gum specialist and ask them to examine your gums. When a dentist places crowns correctly, they will feel like your natural teeth, and you will not feel any discomfort.
We are sorry that you are going through such a frustrating experience. It is unlikely that you will not be able to tolerate new crowns and need dental implants instead. Keep in mind that if you have a metal allergy, your periodontist (implant specialist) must be alert to choose compatible implants. But an examination will determine which treatment is best. We hope your concerns will be resolved soon.
Dr. David Pumphrey, an Atlanta periodontist, sponsors this post.
