If you have gold or other metal dental crowns, now’s the time to consider replacing metal crowns with ceramic ones. Since technology allows us to make all-ceramic crowns that are capable of standing up to the worst bite forces in your mouth, you can get all-porcelain crowns to replace your metal ones. And since you can, here are the reasons why you should:
They Make You Look Old
Metal crowns are an older technology. People looking at your teeth will immediately identify that you have this outdated technology in your mouth. You immediately become a senior citizen.
They Can Make Your Teeth Sensitive
If you have trouble with drinking a cold drink or a hot one, or switching between the two, it could be related to your metal crowns. Metal conducts heat very well, so that even though the crowns are thin, they can increase temperature significantly, and then that heat reaches the interior of the tooth, causing pain.
They Can Be Unhealthy
Most metal crowns are fine, but some, especially non-noble metal ones, might cause a reaction in your body. This could be an allergic reaction, which could cause all kinds of symptoms that you might not think are related to your crowns, such as general fatigue, and an ongoing or recurring cold
They Can Interfere with MRIs
MRI stands for magnetic resonance imaging, and it’s the magnetic field of the device that can be a problem. Some metals, such as titanium roots in dental implants, don’t interact with the magnet, but others, like gold and nickel, can have a significant interaction. They might be attracted to or repelled by the magnet, which can cause a projectile injury as the restoration flies off your tooth.
And even if they stay on your tooth, they can distort the pictures taken by the MRI, which means they might have to be removed under less-than-ideal conditions if an issue arises.
They Might Be Stolen
This is a very rare circumstance, but it’s happened twice in the last couple months: people being assaulted for their gold crowns. It’s not likely to happen to you, but it is another risk to keep in mind.
They Can Corrode Dental Implants
Titanium is a very noble metal, so, although it will participate in galvanic currents, it won’t normally corrode. Unless there’s gold around. It won’t be a strong current, but your mouth could set up a current between gold and titanium that would slowly erode the implant, increasing the risk of failure.
If you are considering removing your gold fillings or crowns in Savannah, please call (912) 234-8282 for an appointment with a cosmetic dentist at Beyond Exceptional Dentistry.
