How To Know If Your New Dental Crown Is Too High

Dental crowns shouldn't trigger any irregularity with your bite (the way in which your upper and lower teeth connect when your mouth is closed). If anything, correcting a damaged tooth should fix any bite problems you might have been experiencing. So why does it feel like your new dental crown has changed the configuration of your bite pattern?

Subtle Changes

Any changes to your bite pattern after receiving a new dental crown will be subtle. It's not as though you won't be able to close your mouth properly, but it may feel as if there's a small, brief obstruction. This can be because the dental crown is connecting with its opposing tooth just before the neighboring teeth make contact with their opposing teeth.

Out of Alignment

This sensation is likely to feel as though something is out of alignment. If the issue is not investigated and treated, it can begin to cause physical discomfort, and even pulpitis, which is an inflammation of the tooth's internal nerve due to irritation. This discomfort is only going to be minor, but it's not something you simply have to deal with, as this is not the intended outcome with a new dental crown. 

Vertical Dimensions

It may be that the new dental crown is simply too high. While it has exhaustively encased the tooth beneath it, its vertical dimensions are out of proportion with your other teeth. This difference will only be minute, and may not even be visible when you inspect your teeth in the mirror. But this tiny change to the proportion of the tooth can make a considerable difference in its functionality and your comfort. You need to see your dentist.

Adjusting Your Crown

Your dentist will inspect the crown, and may even take physical measurements to confirm whether the vertical dimension of the crown is too high. Fortunately, this matter is very easy to resolve. Since the required reduction is minimal, your dentist can often just file down the crown's porcelain at the tip so that the tooth is brought into the correct alignment. The crown can also be removed for adjustment (or even replacement). However, this is rare, and it can generally be left in your mouth for these necessary adjustments. 

It's not always so easy to notice when a new dental crown is slightly too high, and it generally starts as a new, slightly strange feeling when you close your mouth. As such, it's important to have this assessed by your dentist since the problem is very easily solved. Contact a dentist for more information regarding dental crowns.


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