Sensitivity in my temporary crowns, but my dentist won’t remove them

My dentist is replacing all my old amalgam fillings with composite or crowns. The treatment will depend on the extent of the decay. She began the work in April and said she wants to complete it before I start Invisalign. But my three new temporary crowns feel bulky, and they are sensitive. My dentist said we need to wait for the nerves to calm down before getting my final crowns. But now, I am hesitant about moving forward with my dentist to finish the work. Also, my husband and I are planning to begin our family next year, and I wanted my dental work behind me. I canceled the treatment plan with my dentist, but now I have incomplete crowns and Invisalign plans that will begin at some undefined time. What are my options? Thank you. Aniyah from AZ

 

Aniyah,

The problems you describe with your temporary crowns are not related to tooth nerves. It seems that your dentist does not have a solid understanding of crowns or dentistry at all.

Sensitivity with Temporary Crowns

During crown preparation, a dentist’s deep cuts to prepare the tooth can irritate tooth nerves. We have several concerns about lingering sensitivity with your temporary crowns:

• Any sensitivity should temporary.
• Removing the crowns causes minimal irritation—if any.
• We are not sure why your dentist wants to wait before removing your temporary crowns.
• Your dentist has not offered to re-do your crowns, so she probably is not comfortable with it.

We recommend that you get a second opinion from another dentist. You do not need to delay removing the crowns. Instead, it is probably to your advantage to find an experienced cosmetic dentist to remove the crowns and examine your teeth. The dentist can determine the cause of your tooth sensitivity.

An advanced cosmetic dentist will take accurate impressions of your teeth for precisely fitting crowns. And if you have remaining fillings to replace with composite, the dentist can do that also.

Get an Invisalign and Crowns Consultation

After your teeth are healthy and in good condition, you can begin Invisalign treatment. But it seems like an appropriate time to switch dentists and take care of your oral health. You can schedule a consultation with a cosmetic dentist who also offers Invisalign and discuss a treatment plan.

Rekha Reddy, DDS, of Dallas, sponsors this post.