My Dental Crown Feels Weird When I Chew

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My dentist placed a crown on an upper left molar three weeks ago. The tooth touches the opposite bottom molar tooth when I chew, but it feels off. I think the crown needs deeper grooves so the other tooth will match it when I chew. If I ask my dentist to drill down some of the crown’s surface, will it damage it? Although I will need laughing gas or another sedation to cope with my anxiety and get through this, I want it resolved. I already told my dentist about the discomfort, and she said that I need time to get used to my bite. How long will that take? Thanks. Randall from Memphis

Randall,

Your dentist’s request to give your concerns more time means that she does not know what to do. Brooksher would need to examine your tooth and crown to determine what is causing the disharmony when you chew. But the situation could be challenging to correct, or your dentist’s lack of knowledge might be the problem.

Your bite should be perfectly comfortable when you receive a new crown or onlay. But the motions involved in chewing make the occlusion—how the upper and lower teeth fit together—complex. And many dentists lack the training and skill to resolve the issue.

Post-graduate institutes, including the Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies, the Texas Center for Occlusal Studies, the Dawson Academy, the Pankey Institute, and others, train dentists in the science of occlusion. Many cosmetic dentists attend the institutes or receive courses from other organizations that teach the same principles. Still, many other dentists feel that basic dental school education is enough, and they do not need occlusion training. Although dentists who bypass additional training might complete single crowns or onlays, they may not be qualified to complete a full-mouth reconstruction with a balanced bite. So, as a patient, a dentist may tell you that it takes time to get used to your bite.

What Is Malocclusion and What Problems Can It Cause?

Malocclusion is the term for disharmony in how your upper and lower teeth line up. The shape, size, or position of your jaw or teeth may cause malocclusion, or misaligned teeth. The shape and size of a dental crown can affect your bite. Although you might adjust to how your bite feels, it does not mean it is aligned correctly. And malocclusion can lead to other issues.

  • Unusual stress on teeth – The stress can lead to bone loss around the affected teeth.
  • TMJ disorder – You might experience symptoms or signs related to TMJ, including jaw, facial, or neck pain, and headaches or earaches.

Face of a woman relaxed during dental treatment for information on sedation dentistry from Dr. Brooksher of Baton RougeMany dentists adjust a new crown or onlay by asking you to bite on bite registration paper. The paper leaves marks where the crown or onlay makes contact prematurely. The dentist will grind down the crown in those places. Your dentist has completed that essential step, and your crown is not high.

The issue with your bite is more subtle. But a dentist—perhaps not your dentist—can adjust the crown to make it comfortable without damaging it. If your dentist does not know how to correct it, you can wait a few months to see if the tooth begins to feel better with your bite. Or you can get a second opinion from an advanced cosmetic dentist. Look on a few dentists’ websites for information about post-graduate training in occlusion from one of the institutes mentioned on this page. You can talk to the dentist about your anxiety and discuss sedation options during your consultation.

Baton Rouge dentist Dr. Steven Brooksher sponsors this post.

My new dental crown feels weird and loose

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I’m frustrated because I had to relocate and switch dentists in the middle of Invisalign treatment. After examining my teeth, my new dentist recommended a crown for my bottom right first molar. She attached the crown but didn’t spend a lot of time checking my bite. She seemed in a hurry. My crown feels wobbly and doesn’t fit right. I can really feel it when I chew on the right side of my mouth. What should I tell my dentist to do to correct it? I’m worried that if she can’t get the crown right, I will have to switch dentists again and prolong my Invisalign treatment. Thank you. Autumn from Kansas

Autumn,

We understand your concerns about your dental crown and the frustration it is causing during Invisalign treatment. Dr. Brooksher would need to examine your crown to determine the cause of looseness and how to resolve it. But we are concerned because dentists dedicated to providing quality work will check a crown thoroughly before cementing it to your tooth.

When a dentist places a new crown, it should feel like a natural tooth. You shouldn’t notice the crown at all. If your crown is loose on the tooth, it will eventually fall off.

Reasons for a Loose New Dental Crown

If your new dental crown is loose, there are two possible causes—not enough tooth structure or a problem with cementing it.

  • Not enough tooth structure – If you don’t have enough healthy tooth structure to support a crown or if your dentist aggressively prepares your tooth, a crown can feel loose. The more a dentist tapers your tooth, the less likely it is to stay on. It takes a lot of precision for a dentist to prepare a tooth for a crown minimally.

    If your tooth is too small for a crown to adhere to it, a skilled dentist can build up the tooth for a secure bond.
  • Crown cement isn’t strong enough – It is possible that the cement was contaminated during the bonding process. Or something might have gone wrong during the bonding process. But in most cases, if a dentist prepares a tooth properly, even the weakest cement will hold.
Invisalign upper and lower aligners

Find a dentist with Invisalign experienced and advanced cosmetic dentistry training

Schedule an appointment for your dentist to check the crown. If she doesn’t have a satisfactory answer, schedule a second opinion with an experienced cosmetic dentist. Look for a dentist with advanced training in dental aesthetics and experience with Invisalign. If a dentist has experience in both areas, it can eliminate the need to find yet another dentist to resume your Invisalign treatment.

 

Steven Brooksher, DDS, of Baton Rouge, LA, sponsors this post.