I Have Black Lines Around My Crowns

We often get this question at Family Dental Care: “I have black lines around my crown, what should I do?”

Are you one of those people who are embarrassed to admit they have black lines on their crowns? Well, don’t be. There are now several procedures that can be done to avoid having those ugly lines.

Why There’s a Line Around Your Gum Line

Your crown was probably made from porcelain heat-fused to a metal substructure. This blackline surrounding your gum occurs because light, which can pass through natural teeth, is unable to pass through the crown’s metal, makes the crown’s porcelain fusion look darker, and restricts the amount of light in the root and gum areas.

Your natural teeth, on the other hand, allow the passage of light through them, into your gums, and right down to their roots. New technologies in the field of dentistry have enabled dentists and orthodontists to resolve this issue regarding black lines around dental crowns: it is now possible to construct certain types of ceramic crowns sans the metal framework fusion into them.

Finding a Dentist Who Constructs and Bonds Crown to Perfection

Without this liability of metal framework, porcelain crowns can simulate the white, translucent look of natural teeth because light can pass through them naturally. Additionally, advanced dentistry today has the ability to layering porcelain in the crowns to enable the teeth’ edges for “mimicry” of natural teeth’ opaque, monotone look.

Porcelain crown may be made of all-porcelain or a substantial amount of porcelain material as the cover of a substructure made of zirconium. Now that you know why you have black lines around those dental crowns, there are several ways you can do something about it. One is to have a dentist who can not only construct but bond dental crowns almost to perfection to ensure that your gum tissues remain healthy and neatly in place.

Crown Replacement

Why is gum tissue condition important? Prior to the construction of new dental crowns, your gums need to have healthy tissues and in optimal shape around and under your teeth for support. The second way to eliminate those black lines is to switch to different materials; for instance, from your former porcelain crown over a metal framework to solid porcelain material.

Another method to get rid of those black lines is to have all your old crowns replaced with porcelain. These are natural-looking to a fault since even you won’t be able to tell the difference. Look for a dentist who specializes in replacing the work done by other dentists for the improvement of deficient areas. This kind of dentist may cost a little more but is certainly worth the extra expenditure.

Brown Instead of Black and Letting Gums Grow Back

Sometimes, though, solid porcelain for a dental crown is not sufficient. Go to a dentist who specializes in crowns that are not too opaque. This is done by blocking out the dark color of the teeth which have undergone root canal not with black but with a very dark and deep brown color instead. Still, another method is the removal of old crowns with black lines and letting gums grow back.

The only way they will grow back is to have an excellent fit between teeth and crowns. Short of saying that the fit has to be perfect as well, the shape of the crowns must have space for gums to grow back in.

Any of the suggestions mentioned are proven effective so you’ll never have to complain, “I have black lines around my crowns” anymore!

Schedule your appointment at any of the convenient locations of Family Dental Care (Bloomingdale, St. Charles, Glen Ellyn) we can help you with any crown replacements or any general dentistry services.