I had cosmetic crowns put on my upper teeth. My dentist widened my bite so you can see more of my teeth when I smile. I’ve had two big problems since having this done. The first is that it is quite hard for me to close my mouth. I have to consciously remember to “force” my lips closed and breathe through my nose. The result has been terrible dry mouth. The second issue is that there is a tiny gap between the top of my crowns and my gums. Because of that there are things getting trapped there. If I am not constantly cleaning them out, which takes a while, my gums start to hurt. Is there something that can be done to fix these issues?

Leslie

Dear Leslie,

I am glad you wrote. The procedure your dentist attempted to do is quite advanced and I believe he or she was in over their head. One of the things that has gone wrong is how much he has opened your bite. If you can’t naturally keep your mouth closed, that is called lip incompetence. Dry mouth is more than just uncomfortable. Our saliva is a major player in the defense against tooth decay. Dry mouth means you are not getting enough saliva to counter the breath that is constantly causing it to evaporate. This means you are not getting those bacteria fighting minerals on your teeth. This will lead to decay as well as gum disease.

A second issue you are facing is the gap. This is called open margins. Those things that are getting trapped means that you will be at an even greater risk for decay and gum disease, as you are with the dry mouth.

In your case, I am going to suggest you ask your dentist for a refund. Your dental crowns are not functional. In fact, they are detrimental to your oral health.

Once you are able to secure that refund. I would like you to see another dentist to repair this. It will mean starting over. You will want to find a dentist with post-doctoral training in reconstructive dentistry.

This blog is brought to you by Atlanta Periodontist Dr. David Pumphrey.