Bad teeth due to grinding

[Charlene352019]

Hi I have a front crown due to a injury when I was a teenager. This crown as now moved and has a grey gum line . Because I grind my teeth in my sleep it has chipped my front two top teeth . My regular dentist wouldn't do anything as he says they are healthy and because i grind my teeth he wouldnt feel comfortable doing it. Does anyone have any advice please . They don't look healthy and I feel I don't want to eat as it might make it worse and they feel weak. I use a nightguard at night so I dont actually feel like I do grind my teeth now I think im clenching my teeth now in my sleep which I can't help doing which is now making me not want to sleep. If i went to a private dentist do you think they would replace my crown and put crowns on the chipped ones . Also does anyone know the costs of crowns privately. I would have to look at finance as I can't afford them really but it's really affecting me I don't want to talk to people as I feel that's all they see and judging me .

 

[Busybee]

There's no reason why they would not replace a crown with a grey margin. They might not want to crown the others though. It does not sound as though you have a good night guard. Is it hard or soft? In terms of cost it depends where you are based. In the UK you should be able to get a good crown from £200 to £900. But for a front tooth it's worth paying more at a place where they use good technicians and getting it right (colour, fit etc). There is always a risk of a root canal if you change a crown. You should get your gums checked if you have recession. Again recession can be caused by grinding. It's worth investing in something like this at a reputable place, because you can end up spending three times as much by going to a cheap smile clinic type place.

Just wanted to add that I think you will come up against the same issue as your dentist has mentioned - because you grind there may be reluctance to make any changes. So what you might find is that you are given a night guard and kept waiting until your bite miraculously stops grinding (which it never really does if you're a grinder). Catch 22.

Many dentists are worried about touching this type of problem for that reason. They worry anything done will make it worse. It' may be best to just say you are not happy with the appearance of that tooth and then deal with the grinding issue afterwards. It's not like it will go away easily whether you change the crown or not.

It's a risky business and you may find that you are happier now than after any changes. Particularly if they lead to a root canal or if you're still not happy with your appearance. Dentists rarely improve on nature and there is a very wide variety of quality out there in terms of function, aesthetics, craftsmanship. Have a few consultations and don't sign up to anything without a good deal of thought. In particular be wary of anyone suggesting you have other teeth touched. Once you start that's it.