I have a couple crowns and have never had any problems with them. Well, I feel really bad for my husband because his dental crowns keep falling off. The dentist re-cements them and then in a week or so, they pop right off. The dentist seems like he’s at a loss at this point. I’m wondering what is going on? Is there a super-strong cement we can try first? Or I have heard of CEREC. Is that a better option?

– Jeffrey in Missouri

Jeffrey,

Sadly, it sounds like it’s time for a second opinion. There shouldn’t be an issue with the porcelain crowns not staying cemented. This is not a common occurrence. Once they are permanently cemented, they should stay in place if they were done properly. Something must be breaking the bond.

The life of a crown is typically dependent upon the tooth preparation that was done by the dentist. If the tooth is in any way tapered, the crown will not have a good fit. It sounds like it may be time for some new crowns or better yet, a new cosmetic dentist. In order to successfully place crowns, the dentist must have had extensive training in the bonding technologies and materials. There really is no excuse for your husband’s crowns not to stay on. It’s time to move on.

Lastly, CEREC crowns really aren’t the answer here. This sounds like it’s an issue with the dentist, not the product. CEREC is a technology enables the tooth to be prepared and placed all in one visit.