Can’t Get a Refund for a Messed Up Crown

Question submitted by Jake:

I had a dental crown done about 12 years ago in New York after having a root canal treatment done. I’ve recently moved to a Wyoming and just saw my new dentist for the first time. He said that the crown I have is a mess and recommended replacing it. I went ahead and did that. Today, I called my dentist’s office in New York and asked for a refund. His office said that there was not a chance in the world they’d give me a refund on a 12 year old crown. Now I’m wondering how long a crown is supposed to last.

Jake

Dear Jake,

I’ll answer that question in a moment. First, I am curious about your second dentist. Did he simply say, “Your crown is a mess” or did he give specifics?

In most cases, dentists are hesitant to criticize the work of a peer. While they are ethically obligated to be honest, they will usually try to tone it a bit to not make the other dentist look bad. The reasons I am bringing this up are two-fold.

You did not mention that the crown was bothering you in any way. The way I read this, and I could be wrong, is that you just went in for a normal check up and he brought up the crown. But, it doesn’t sound like he told you anything specific about what is wrong with it. A poorly done crown will either hurt,  fall off, or leak new decay within a couple of years or so. Yours appears to have lasted at least 12 years without those problems.

Crowns do have a shelf life, so I’m not saying that your crown was fine, I’m just saying that I’m surprised nothing specific was mentioned and that you weren’t having any problems with the crown.

As to the lifespan of a crown, dental insurance will expect a dental crown to last five years before they will replace it. Yours went well past that mark. In reality, they can last well longer than that as long as it is properly placed and the patient takes very good care of it. How much longer will depend on the materials used.

Here are some basic guidelines based on material as to their longest possible lifespan. You didn’t say what kind yours was but I’ll list them all.

• Gold or other all-metal crown: 20 – 30 years. These are the most durable but they are the least attractive.
• Zirconia or other all ceramic crown: 15 – 20 years. These are great for back teeth, but are hard to make look natural on teeth visible when you smile.
• All-porcelain or Porcelain Fused to Metal (PFM) crowns: 10 – 20. All porcelain will give you the most beautiful, natural looking result when done by a dentist skilled in cosmetic work.

It sounds like you’ve had a good lifespan out of your dental crown either way, so a refund would not be something expected.

This blog is brought to you by a top-rated prosthodontist in Tucson, Dr. Howard Steinberg.