Are dental crowns necessary when teeth don't hurt?

My dentist wants to give me a crown on a back molar. This will be my second crown. The first one made my tooth sensitve to hot and cold for almost 2 years! Prior to this procedure and the previous one I had no pain or issues with my teeth. My dentist told me the tooth had small fractures where old filling were. Is this necessary or is a wait and see approch better?

Are dental crowns necessary when teeth don't hurt?
Get it done if you want to save your teeth
Reply:I'd go ask another dentist's opinion.





IF there is a bona fide tooth fracture, yes, you should get a crown. if you DON'T cold sens. will not be your biggest problem. Bacteria could slip into the crack and cause an infection requiring a root canal and THEN a crown to boot. Or the tooth could have a cusp or two fracture right off. Sometiems when this happens it's not so bad - you just get a crown, no harm done. However, occaisionally, if the fracture goes under the gums and down to the bone, you would then require periodontal surgery ($$$) or extraction and an implant ($$$$). Comparatively, a crown is just a "$$!"





Some molars w/ little tiny fractures on them can sit like that for years, so ask another dentist. Don't be afraid to ask, "If untreated, what's the worst that can happen?" and then "How likely is that scenario in my case?" The dentist can't tell w/o looking right at the tooth, or testing it with a "tooth sleuth" to see how bad the fracture is. Good luck!
Reply:Yes they are necessary on teeth that don't hurt. Many times fractures in teeth penetrate deeper and deeper until a portion of the tooth breaks off. Stop the fracture from getting deeper allows the dentist to control the situation. Most dentists are ethical and do what is best for you. If your doc seems to be after the money, get a second opinion.
Reply:Its your choice either way. If he's told you the tooth has small fractures and yet its not bothering you, your probably safe for a bit longer, if you'd like to wait. BUT.. remember this, once it breaks..pain usually comes with it. Molars, will break sooner/ easier than a front tooth with fractures. ONLY because, you apply pressure to your back teeth everyday, when you eat. Also, depending HOW the break happens when it does, and how deep..you could be looking at a "Root Canal' as well as Crown, at that point. OR even worse... if it breaks beneath the gum line, you'd be looking at tooth Extraction. Its your call........





My suggest dont wait to long, if you do you might find yourself worse off. I'd rather play it safe, than sorry.
Reply:Here's the thing about teeth. If you have a tooth with a silver (amalgam) filling you may have fractures in the tooth... they may not hurt but some day a part of the tooth may brake off and then a crown or possible root canal and crown will be needed. You may ask the dentist if just doing a composite filling would work. My Dentist tires this with the understanding that I may still have to have a crown... any work done on a tooth is insulting and there are not any guarantees that you wont need more work done on the same tooth.
Reply:i'd go for second opinion. if the tooth is cracked and fractured under the crown - it should not be crowned until it's repaired. i just had a crown fall off (after 15 years) because decay had formed where the tooth had fractured and cracked -- because there was a root canal i didn't feel the decay - well let's say i now have an extraction, bone graft and in 4 months - an implant coming. the decay spread through to the whole tooth below the gum AND into the bone.





it sounds to me like your tooth was ground down well to the root and that's the sensations you were feeling with the hot and cold. i would truthfully go to another dentist for a 2nd. i don't see how a crown would help if the tooth is fractured and so sensitive.