I had six porcelain crowns done for a smile makeover. They looked beautiful when I first got them. It’s been a little over six months and now they are starting to pick up stains. I don’t drink or smoke but do drink one cup of coffee every morning. I do brush twice a day and floss. Do you know what is going on? Is this normal? I really liked them when I first got them. Will teeth whitening get them back the way they were?
Maxwell
Dear Maxwell,
No, this is not normal. Porcelain is very stain resistant. In fact, your porcelain crowns should be more stain resistant than your natural teeth. Something has happened to these. Nothing you described would be consistent with causing damage to your porcelain veneers. Either your dentist did not give you actual porcelain crowns or something did damage them.
You mentioned that it has been a little over six months since you had your porcelain crowns placed. This would be right about the time you might go in for a dental checkup and cleaning. It is possible that the hygienist used something known as a Power Prophy Jet or acidulated fluoride during your cleaning. The acidulated fluoride will cause damage to the glazing of the porcelain veneers, which is what protects the crowns from picking up stains. The Prophy Jet will remove the glazing altogether.
Either not using porcelain or one of the two dental procedures I mentioned could have caused the damage you are describing. Finding out what happened is going to require you getting a second opinion. I suggest that you get a second opinion from an expert cosmetic dentist. When you do, however, I want you to be sure not to tell him who your dentist is. Just go and explain that you have only had these porcelain crowns for just over six months and see if he or she can tell you why they are picking up stains. If the dentist asks who did the work before giving his or her diagnosis tell them that you are looking for an unbiased opinion and don’t want to give the name of the practitioner. They should understand that.
Unfortunately, teeth whitening will not give them back their color. Bleaching only works on natural tooth structure. The crowns will need to be replaced. That is why it is important that you figure out why this happened. If the dentist is at fault, he or she should replace them for you free of charge.
This blog is brought to you by Duluth, GA Dentist Dr. David Marion.