Consequences of Cheap Dental Crowns at Unreliable Dental Clinics

In recent years, dental crowns have become a popular trend in dentistry due to their ability to improve both aesthetics and oral function. However, the increased demand has led to the emergence of many dental clinics, not all of which meet quality standards. To understand the consequences of choosing cheap dental crowns at unreliable clinics, let’s delve deeper with The Rose East Dental Clinic in the following article.

Is Dental Crowning Harmful?

Dental crowns are currently one of the effective dental treatment methods and are widely chosen by many patients. In reality, the dental crowning process only affects the outer enamel layer of the tooth and does not impact the internal structure or the soft tissues in the mouth. Therefore, dental crowning is a safe method that does not harm oral health.

Additionally, dental crowns offer undeniable benefits, including:

• Improving color and aesthetics: Dental crowns adjust the tooth color to a bright and natural shade, repairing damaged teeth such as chips and fractures. This enhances the smile, allowing patients to feel more confident.
• Customized design for each patient: Porcelain crowns can be tailored to fit the shape of the face and teeth, creating a beautiful and harmonious smile. This customization helps correct imperfections such as crooked teeth, uneven tooth sizes, and excessive gaps between teeth.
• Restoring tooth structure and chewing function: Crowns restore the structure of damaged or cracked teeth, improving chewing ability and overall food intake function, leading to better comfort and digestion.
• Protecting natural teeth: The crown covers and protects the natural tooth from bacteria, acids, and environmental factors that could cause further damage or decay.
• Ensuring durability and high strength: Porcelain crowns are highly durable, being up to 7 times harder than natural teeth and resistant to wear. With proper oral care, they can last up to 20 years. This minimizes the risk of frequent repairs or replacements, providing long-lasting stability for users.
• Non-irritating: Dental crowns are made from materials that are compatible with oral tissues, which helps reduce the risk of irritation to the gums and surrounding tissues. This ensures comfort for the wearer and avoids unwanted reactions commonly seen with some other materials.

Readmore: What to choose: Porcelain crown vs Dental Veneer?

Consequences of Choosing Cheap Dental Crowns at Unreliable Clinics

With the increasing demand for aesthetic improvements through dental crowns, many unreliable clinics have resorted to offering low-cost crowns with subpar materials and insufficiently skilled practitioners. The serious consequences of using low-quality dental crowns are summarized by The East Rose Dental Clinic below.

Exposure of the Tooth Neck
The process of placing dental crowns requires precise fabrication and fitting to ensure they match the size of the patient's teeth. The crown must fit snugly over the tooth stump to prevent exposure of the tooth neck. Any error during this process can result in poorly fitting crowns, allowing bacteria to infiltrate.

When dental crowns do not fit properly, it often leads to the gums forming deep or V-shaped indentations around the crown's edge, exposing the tooth neck. This not only affects the aesthetic appearance but also causes discomfort and increases the risk of oral issues such as bad breath, gum inflammation, and tooth decay.

Darkened Tooth Edges Due to Oxidation
Using low-quality, inexpensive dental crowns can lead to the darkening of the tooth edges. This is often caused by substandard materials, particularly those with metal components. When exposed to the oral environment, the metal in the crowns can oxidize, resulting in a dark line around the base of the tooth. This not only diminishes aesthetic appeal but can also contribute to oral health issues.

Pulp Infection
Opting for cheap dental crowns at unreliable clinics can lead to pulp infection. Due to poor techniques or inexperience, the dentist may improperly or excessively grind the tooth structure, causing damage to the natural tooth. This can allow bacteria to enter the tooth pulp through gaps, leading to infection. If pulpitis is not treated promptly, it may result in pulp death and a permanent risk of tooth loss. 

Readmore: What are porcelain crown? How many types are there? How much does it cost?

Damage to the Natural Tooth
One of the most serious consequences of using low-quality dental crowns at untrustworthy clinics is damage to and loss of the natural tooth. Due to the use of substandard materials and improper techniques, the crown may not fit securely on the natural tooth. 
This uneven pressure can weaken and damage the tooth structure over time. Eventually, the natural tooth may become damaged or fractured, and such damage is difficult to repair, severely impacting oral function and health.

Gingivitis and Gum Recession
The drawbacks of opting for cheap dental crowns at unreliable clinics often become evident through oral health issues such as gingivitis and gum recession. If the crowns do not fit properly or there are gaps between the crown and the gum line, food particles can become trapped, leading to gingival inflammation, swelling, and bad breath. This poor fit also provides an opportunity for bacteria to thrive, potentially causing serious oral diseases if not treated promptly.

Additionally, substandard crown fitting techniques may result in excessive grinding of the natural tooth, leading to damage. Over time, this can cause gingival inflammation and gum recession, negatively impacting overall oral health and reducing the effectiveness of the treatment.

Misaligned and High Bite
Inaccurate dental crown placement can lead to misaligned and high bite issues. This often occurs due to improper impressions taken by the dentist, resulting in crowns that do not fit snugly on the tooth, causing misalignment or discomfort. Additionally, grinding the tooth too much or too little can also lead to bite misalignment. If the dentist does not check and adjust the bite after fitting the crown, the patient may experience severe complications.

Loose and Fragile Crowns
Low-quality dental crowns from budget clinics often lead to issues such as loose and easily broken teeth. Inferior materials and poor techniques can cause the crowns to crack or break after a short period of use, making eating difficult.

Additionally, inaccurate impressions can result in crowns that do not fit snugly on the natural tooth, leading to loose crowns that may fall out. Moreover, improper tooth reduction or excessive grinding of the natural tooth can reduce durability and increase the risk of decay and fractures.

Other Serious Consequences
In addition to the issues mentioned above, choosing low-quality dental crowns at unreliable dental clinics can lead to other serious consequences:

• Bad breath: Substandard materials and poor application techniques can create gaps that allow bacteria to accumulate, develop, and ferment, leading to bad breath and embarrassment during communication.
• Pain and discomfort: If the technique is incorrect and the crown does not fit properly with the gums, it can cause discomfort while chewing. Without timely adjustment, this can lead to persistent pain, swelling, and gum inflammation.
• Prolonged sensitivity: Some sensitivity is normal for 3-5 days after a crown placement. However, if sensitivity persists for 1-3 months, it indicates that the material might be subpar, lacks proper insulation, or has gaps, causing extended discomfort.
• Aesthetic issues: Cheap dental crowns often mean poor-quality materials, which lack durability and natural color. These factors negatively impact the aesthetic appearance of the crowns.
• Time and cost of adjustments: Problems such as loose or easily broken crowns, or crowns that don’t fit properly, can require additional repair or replacement procedures. This results in higher costs and reduces comfort in daily life.

Readmore: Do porcelain crowns cause bad breath?

Criteria for Evaluating Reputable and Quality Dental Clinics for Dental Crowns

When choosing a dental clinic for crowns, assessing the reputation and quality is crucial to ensure the best treatment results and minimize potential complications. Here are the factors to consider for selecting a reliable dental clinic:

• Valid operational license: The clinic should have a valid operational license issued by the Ministry of Health, demonstrating that it meets all medical safety and service quality standards. This license ensures that the clinic performs crown procedures according to regulations, safeguarding the health and safety of clients.
• Experience and expertise of dentists: To ensure successful crown treatment, the dentist should have extensive experience and high skill levels. An expert dentist will accurately diagnose and effectively perform the crown procedure, saving time and costs while minimizing risks such as ill-fitting crowns or other serious complications.
• Technology and equipment: A reputable clinic will be equipped with advanced technology and modern equipment to ensure accurate and efficient crown procedures. This includes 3D scanners for precise impressions, CAD/CAM systems for high-precision crown design and manufacturing, and advanced devices for safe crown placement. Modern technology reduces errors, shortens treatment time, and improves the quality of results, enhancing the protection of clients' oral health.
• Standard medical treatment process: Before deciding on treatment, you need to thoroughly understand the treatment process at the dental clinic. Ensure that the facility adheres to strict hygiene standards and performs comprehensive sterilization of medical equipment. These factors not only guarantee effective treatment outcomes but also safeguard the health and safety of the patients.
• Customer service and pre-, during-, and post-treatment care: Effective follow-up on crown conditions after treatment, prompt support for issues, and detailed guidance on home oral care foster client trust. Clear warranty policies also play a significant role in evaluating a reputable clinic.
• Positive customer reviews: A quality clinic will consistently have positive reviews from clients. Checking before-and-after treatment images and video testimonials from past patients provides an objective perspective on the clinic's services.

See more customer experience videos at East Rose Dental Clinic

Given the severe consequences of opting for cheap dental crowns at unreliable clinics, carefully selecting a treatment facility is crucial to minimize unwanted risks. Currently, The East Rose Dental Clinic is one of the highly rated and reputable dental practices, meeting all five key criteria mentioned. Therefore, it is certainly an excellent choice if you wish to enhance your smile and oral function with dental crowns.