How Long Do Dental Crowns Last? Everything You Need to Know

Dental crowns are perhaps one of the most versatile offerings restorative dentistry has ever come up with. Whether you have a broken tooth, a chipped one, a decayed one — or even if you’ve lost a tooth altogether —  getting a crown would probably be the only solution offered to you. With such a versatile use case, it’s no surprise that people have varying experiences with crowns. Some have their crowns functional for decades, whereas others end up getting a replacement just a few years after initial placement. 

This makes you think “How long do dental crowns last, and what influences their lifespan?”. Fair enough. When you invest in something, you need assurance for the value you get, and even more so when it’s about your dental health. So, if you’re exploring crowns for yourself and wish to know the ins and outs of their longevity, this blog is for you! Read on to know more about this subject so you may have an informed experience.

Understanding Dental Crowns And Their Types 

Though dental crowns are a widely known and established restorative tool, there’s still a lot of confusion surrounding them. That’s partially because of patients’ lack of awareness about the different types of crowns (and their respective use cases) and partially because of their unfamiliarity with their working mechanism.

In either case, it’s important to acquaint yourself with what crowns are, why they’re needed and how they work so you may know exactly what you’re getting into. This would also help clear your expectations regarding the lifespan of implants (our main concern), which we’ll discuss shortly. So, in very simple words, a crown is an artificial tooth. It’s a replica of the ‘visible’, palpable part of a tooth — known as the crown — that helps you chew and speak, and doesn’t include the root of the tooth. 

A crown may be used to restore:

• A cracked/chipped/damaged tooth
• A decayed tooth 
• A missing tooth

Apparently a crown looks the same regardless of whether it’s used to restore a damaged, decayed or missing tooth, but there’s a huge difference in structure and placement mechanism in each case. For damaged teeth (due to chipping, cracking or decay), a crown is placed on an ‘existing’ tooth. This existing tooth is essentially shaved down to remove the damaged part, after which it’s smoothened and shaped from the edges in such a way that it can easily accommodate the crown. The crown is then cemented onto the tooth, restoring its appearance and functionality.

Now in case of a missing tooth — where there’s no existing visible structure and neither an existing root to support a crown — the crown has to be supplemented with a dental implant. For context, an implant is an artificial tooth root that is surgically embedded into the jaw (at the site of missing teeth) to substitute the missing root. As such, it provides a solid foundation for the attachment of a crown, both of which collectively replace the missing tooth entirely.

How Long Do Crowns Last?

Let’s now get to the heart of our discussion: dental crown lifespan.Like every dental restoration, crowns too have an average lifespan, which is quoted to be somewhere around 10-15 years. Let’s reiterate that this is a general estimate of how crowns are expected to last (as per the material quality and durability, and according to calculated studies) but not an absolute measure of their lifespan.In practice, a lot of implants may or may not live up to this estimate, and there are multiple factors that influence and determine the exact life of the crown. What are these factors? Let’s discuss.

Factors Affecting The Lifespan Of Dental Crowns 

The Type Of Crown 

As we discussed, there are two types of crowns:

1. Tooth supported crowns 
2. Implant supported crowns

Each of these types should technically have the same lifespan (as the core device — the crown itself — is the same), but it’s not necessarily the case. Even if the material of the crown is 100% identical, there’d be a difference in how long the crown would last if it’s placed on an existing tooth as opposed to if it’s placed on an implant. 

In case of tooth supported crowns, the health (and life) of the crown doesn’t operate in isolation; it’s directly influenced by the health of the tooth it’s attached to. If the supporting tooth is structurally weak or isn’t well secured into the jaw, the attached crown would also be affected by it. Similarly, when the crown is supported by an implant, the implant’s strength and stability would also influence the crown. 

Also, it’s to be noted that implant supported crowns generally have a longer lifespan because they’re not cemented on the root (as tooth supported crowns are) but rather permanently fixed to it. This guards the crown against movement, slippage and accidental damage.

The Crown Material And Design

It goes without saying that the material of the crown is also a significant determinant of its longevity. Modern crown materials (like Zirconia) are impeccably durable and exhibit longer lifespan as compared to older materials like PFM (porcelain fused to metal) or simple porcelain. Besides the material, the design also matters a lot. A well-designed, well-fitted crown would work smoothly and stay in shape for a long time. 

On the contrary, a poorly designed and ill fitted crown wouldn’t stay in place and would also keep irritating your gums perpetually, which would affect not only the crown but your gum health as well.

Patient’s Parafunctional Habits

No matter how strong, well designed and well placed the crown is, if you don’t use it carefully then it’ll wear out sooner than normal. Habits like tooth grinding, biting on hard objects (from the crown side) and placing repetitive stress on the crown in any way will weaken the crown and make it prone to failure.

Conclusion 

If everything stays optimal, you can easily expect your dental crown to last for 10-15 years. The crown would serve as a great resource for you during all these years, helping you smile (and eat) with confidence and joy! Not sure if getting a crown is the right decision for you? Schedule a FREE consultation with Dental Care And Implants, a premium dental practice located in Texas, USA. Talk to our team of implant experts and pave your way to a healthy and beautiful smile!