problem with a tooth crown

[Moraz]

Hello

Over the last few days, I have been feeling pain in the crown that I had placed on my tooth some 2 years ago. I got one of my right side tooth restored with crown as the tooth got decayed two years ago and the dentist recommended a crown.

For the past two years, it has been all fine and suddenly yesterday I noticed a dull pain in the same area where I got the crown fixed. The pain is growing day by day.

Particularly, when I eat something and the stuff goes to the right side of the mouth, I experience a dull pain. Initially the pain was bearable and I did not care much about it, but now the pain is growing and becoming severe as each day passes.

I also feel a swelling on the right side of my mouth. Could you tell me what I should do with this crown? Is there a chance that the tooth underneath the crown has gone bad or could there be a crown fracture?

[Dr Vahid Motahar]

Hi,

Thank you for your question.

From what you have mentioned it appear you have developed chronic infection of the tooth which is common with teeth that are crowned. A proportion of the teeth, although small number, due to the trauma of drilling and crowning process develop necrotic pulp.

Solution is provision of root canal treatment in these cases. The less likely scenario from what you have explained can be gum infection due to periodontal disease or food impaction. It is very unlikely for your crown to have fractured wth the symptoms you have explained.