stain on crown Archives - Coleman Dental

My dental implant has functioned great. I have had it for several years now and have been very happy. But several months ago, I started noticing what looks like a brown line that is showing up. When I was in for a cleaning last, I totally spaced it. I meant to talk to the hygienist about it. And I was actually hoping it would come off from the polishing during the appointment. I didn’t notice it afterward, but then it has reappeared. Is there a problem all of the sudden? If it’s not a big deal, than I don’t want to go back into the dentist. But how can a stain come up out of nowhere. Have you heard of something like this?

– Daniel in Ohio

Daniel,

The porcelain crown that is on top of the dental implant is made of porcelain. This material is highly stain resistant. But, as time goes in, it may have a blemish, crack, or imperfection that is picking up some staining. If there are any crevices than you may notice that area will retain stains more than a smooth area. They hygienist may have polished the discoloration off during your routine hygiene visit, but it sounds like it has resurfaced.

If it is strictly an aesthetics issue, than you really don’t need to schedule another appointment. That is, unless it is bothersome and noticeable when you smile. But a stain isn’t a functional issue. Although, if it is a crack, than it is something that you would want to have examined. It is hard to tell without having seen you in person, but a crack can turn into something more, which could end up compromising the durability of the crown. Or it could even break or shatter if left untreated.

It’s probably better to be safe than sorry. So you should probably go back in and have it checked out. If need by, the crown can be replaced. But you will not need to replace the entire dental implant, so you won’t have to go back through the surgical phase or anything like that. Just a crown replacement. Good luck!

I had a CEREC crown done about two years ago, and it attracts stain like crazy. I drink coffee, but not really excessively or anything, and I brush all the time. Despite my efforts, the tooth looks dingy within a few weeks every time I get a cleaning. I always looks nice when I leave, but it never lasts long. I asked my hygienist about it, and she said I’m not cleaning well enough at home. I am scrubbing as best as I can. I really think it’s got something to do with the fact that it’s a CEREC crown. It’s just that one tooth that becomes an eyesore. None of my other friends have this problem, but I’m also the only one who got a CEREC crown instead of a real one. Do I have to have the whole thing replaced? What are my options?

Thank you,

Ellen in New Hampshire

Dear Ellen,

Crowns, in general, can be made out of many materials, and CEREC crowns are no exception. Regardless of whether you have the kind that is created in the office or in a lab, it’s possible to attract stains like you’re getting. Home care is certainly a factor, and your hygienist was right to mention it. It’s not necessarily a matter of scrubbing hard either, as that can hurt your gums, as well as the neighboring teeth. You might have better luck switching to an ultrasonic toothbrush, or at least upgrading to one with a spinning mechanism.

It sounds like your restoration has microscratches on it. Although the material, itself, is incredibly durable, some things are known to cause very small scratches on the surface. When this happens, your coffee, food, and bacteria can gather in the tiny crevices, which makes it very difficult to clean. Sometimes, patients unknowingly cause the scratches by using abrasive toothpastes, like those designed for whitening. Other times, they can be caused by an inexperienced hygienist, who uses a prophy jet incorrectly, or uses an abrasive prophy paste to polish at the end of a cleaning.

It’s not likely that you’ll ever know for sure what caused the defects, but it’s worth mentioning the issue directly to your dentist. If one of his hygienists isn’t familiar with proper protocol, he’ll get to the bottom of it and can make sure other patients don’t have the same issue. If it is indeed scratched, there isn’t a way to repair it. Your dentist may be able to buff it out some, but it won’t look like it did when it was new. Aside from that, your options are to live with it, and change your cleaning routines, or to replace it.

Ugly brown line on my dental implant.

Why is My CEREC Crown Attracting Stains and How Do I Fix It?