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How Long Will a Dental Crown Last?

Dental Article | Dental Crowns Care and Maintenance

Dental Crown Longevity

If you have a cracked, broken, severely decayed or worn tooth, more than your stunning smile might be at stake – in fact, your dental health might be at stake.

With a dental crown, also called a dental cap, DentArana in Arana Hills can restore the form, function and strength to an otherwise compromised tooth. We’ve rebuilt many patients’ smiles with dental crowns in Arana Hills, and we can do the same for your smile.

But, if you need dental crowns, or already have them, you probably share a question with many of our patients, “How long will my crowns last?” There is no one answer to this, question but since installation is complicated, and crowns are not inexpensive, maintaining them for as long as possible is important not only to dental health, but to the health of your wallet as well!

Factors that Determine Dental Crown Longevity

Location of the tooth in the jaw
Condition of the supporting tooth
Oral hygiene and care of the crowned tooth
Bad habits (Grinding or clenching, chewing ice, fingernails, removing bottle caps)
Materials used (gold, zirconia, porcelain fused to metal, etc.)
Proper manufacture and installation of the crown
Full or partial crown
Periodontal health (gum disease)
External trauma (accidents)

Many insurance companies pay for a crown to be replaced if failure occurs after 5 to 8 years. At the same time, most dentists estimate that a crown should last from 5 to 15 years, possibly longer if well taken care of.

A Study Shows that Crowns can Last for Decades or More

If the following criteria are met, crowns can last a very long time indeed:

If dental crowns are the optimum solution for the dental problem,
If crowns are manufactured well, using the appropriate materials,
If installed properly by a dedicated, expert professional, and
If proper home care is consistently practiced

One study tracked the success rate of 2,340 crowns. 10 years after placement, the success rate was 97% (2270 crowns that lasted over a decade). At 25 years, the success rate was 85% (Walton, 2013).

There is, however, 3% failure at 10 years, and 15% at 25 years. That should remind patients that long-term success is not a given and that proper care of dental crowns is needed.

Scientific studies give us the following information:

Pjetursson (2007) performed a literature review of published research and from it estimated a survival rate of 94% for crowns at 5 years and 90% at 10 years.
De Backer (2007) evaluated teeth that had been crowned by student clinicians at a dental school over a 16 to 20 year period. The 18-year survival rate calculated was 75%.
Walton (2013) reported on the long-term outcome for 2,340 crowns. A survival rate of 97% was found at 10 years, 85% at 25 years.

So crowns can last quite a long time!

Principles for Dental Crown Longevity at DentArana

Correct Diagnosis: Dental crowns are not always the only, or even the best, solution. We only recommend them when they have a high chance of success.

Correct Materials: Depending on the location of the tooth or teeth to be treated, the desired ‘look’, and other characteristics of the patient, DentArana will recommend the appropriate material and construction of the crown.

Expert Installation: DentArana has installed dental crowns for many years and we are experts at what contributes to a successful dental crown procedure.

How You Can Help Extend the Life of Your Crowns

Normal Home Care: At DentArana we work with you to realize the highest level of oral hygiene; a level that protects your dental crown. Proper home care is a key element of a crown’s longevity!

The crown strengthens the portion of the tooth above the gum-line but this margin area requires special care. Normal brushing and flossing is a must.

Be Careful What You Chew: Most all crowns and bridges have a ceramic outer layer or are all-ceramic. These materials are very strong and stable, however, they have potential to fracture just as a natural tooth might. As a rule of thumb, don’t do anything with a crown or bridge that could damage a natural tooth.

Avoid Chewing Ice. The extreme temperature change greatly increases the fracture of porcelain and natural teeth.

Clean Your Crowns Properly. Some people believe that crowned teeth are somehow protected from decay and cavities, but they are not. Remember, a normal tooth lies beneath that crown, and it must be taken care of. In addition, fixed bridges are anchored by crowns. These require additional cleaning on their undersides. Failure to the clean the bridge between dental crowns can cause trouble for the crowns as well.