Broken Porcelain Crown – 3 Things You Need To Know
Have you ever seen a ‘small black hole’ in your porcelain crown? Many people believe this could collect food particles and cause cavity under the crown. In this case, it is quite likely that your crown has been broken partially, revealing the metal inside.
So what is the cause of broken porcelain crown? And what is the solution?
Reasons of broken porcelain crown
Broken porcelain crown could be caused by many reasons. In which, there are three main causes that we need to consider: durability of the material, affecting force and frequency of force, all of which would need to be balanced to maintain your porcelain crown.
Durability of material
Durability of your porcelain crown would depend on:
Origin of the material
Production technique
Expertise of lab technician
Thickness of the porcelain
Affecting force
Most often is the chewing force. If the affecting force is greater than durability of the porcelain layer, it will break. Normally, chewing force is different between individuals, hence is a factor that cannot be changed. However, if the bite is not adjusted well, all the force would be placed on one point, causing the porcelain to crack.
Frequency of force
When the affecting force is less than the durability of porcelain, the crown will not be affected. However, repeated force will also cause the porcelain to be chipped, and for longer time will result in broken porcelain. Frequency of force would increase due to:
Bite is not adjusted, causing the patient to repeatedly bite in one point.
Bad habit: Bite hard items, bite pen, etc.
Solution for broken porcelain crown
If left untreated, broken porcelain crown will not affect your teeth (other than collecting food causing discomfort). All that patient needs to do is to visit a local dentist and have a filling in the broken location. You will not need a new crown in this case.
