can crowned teeth regrow??

[ashstars]

Hi everyone!

I am 25/f and had a bad habit of eating lemons when I was younger which eroded the enamel slightly on my 2 top front teeth. They werent really that bad--just sort of chipped and I had a ridge on one of them from the enamel wearing away. Anyway, I went to my dentist to get veneers and she said my teeth were too thin so I asked if I could get Lumineers (since no tooth needs to be shaved down for the procedure) and she said I needed crowns. I'm now pretty sure she insisted on crowns since I found out later she does neither veneers or bonding and probably didnt want me going somewhere else to get my work done.

Foolishly I didnt do any research on crowns because I was just so excited about getting my teeth fixed that I went in and got porcelain crowns done. After I got home I started looking up info on crowns and how they pretty much shave your tooth down to a nub which in most cases will decay under the crown or will need a root canal. As well as they are not good for your gums and often will reced the gums, which is just great since I already had receded gums from brushing too hard and very mild gingivitis.

I am very upset and really regret getting crowns done. I know the procedure cant be reversed and is permanent but I dont want my natural teeth to decay and die!!!! :(

My question is: Do you guys think it would be very likely or possible that I could regrow new enamel to regrow the tooth structure to how it was if I changed my eating habits drastically to raw foods and a diet high in calcium phosphates, magnesium and other minerals, etc? Any replies would be very appreciated!

NONE OF THESE PICS ARE OF MY TEETH---Just so you can get an idea of how much tooth they wear down for crown placement.
http://www.delucalab.com/images/all_ceramic_anterior_crown.gif http://www.dentalproducts.net/xml/0204/morita0204/mori05.jpg

[ashstars]

oops. i think i posted this in the wrong section!! sorry guys. :o

[Ginger]

I TOTALLY believe it's possible. I regrew a chipped tooth. Thats strange lemons eroded your teeth.. I eat them all the time since I was a kid & never noticed any problems..

[codajess]

I don't know, but I'd love my teeth to be that white as in the 2nd picture!

I have a small groove in my front tooth from when I used to grip my tongue ring there to tighten it. My old dentist filled it in with resin. I wonder if it'll eventually push the resin off and regrow. That'll be interesting to see.

[mongomango]

Ashstars, make sure you floss really well around those teeth and massage the gum. It's very important. If you do it, you may not have gum retraction. On the other hand, crowns typically need replacing every 10-15 years or so. If you can keep them in good shape, it may be that this is not the case for you. Voice of experience here :(

[StudentforLife]

I TOTALLY believe it's possible. I regrew a chipped tooth.


When I was a dental assistant it was always common knowledge that a tooth that was cut down could never grow back. How big was your chip? That would be wicked sweet if it was possible to grow tooth back. I'm wondering how big your chip was because if it didn't go into the dentin and was just on the enamel suface than maybe that's why. Again, that's very fascinating to me.

Sorry you're so disappointed Ashstar. It does stink when you get a crown because yes, that is the only way you can get a crown, with a majority of the tooth saved down to a particular sized nub. Most dentists won't do them unless it's absolutly needed because they don't want to harm a healthy tooth. Sadly though there are dentists who don't have the experience or they claim that they don't but they're just doing the crown to get more money. I'm glad I don't work for them anymore. They're crazy :D

I suppose you could try to grow it back but just be aware that a tooth cut that far into the dentin and so close to the nerve will be extremely sensitive to hot cold and even air. I don't think it would be very pleasant to have that tooth exposed again.

I hope you find a solution that makes you happy. For now though, don't fret too much. As long as it was made properly and you take care of that area with flossing especially, no decay should get under there.

[Draginvry]

When I was a dental assistant it was always common knowledge that a tooth that was cut down could never grow back.

"Common Knowledge" is almost always based on its commonality, rather than any actual knowledge.

I had several teeth pulled when I was a kid. They are growing back. I know they are growing back, because I can see them. My front teeth are full of cavities which appear to be getting better, albeit very slowly.

Just keep in mind that damaged teeth can be very sensitive, especially during the healing process.

[Ginger]

I don't know but it was quite noticable! Every dentist I went to over the years has tried to talk me into letting them fix it! I wont have any dental work done unless it is a major problem that needs addressed, to me a chipped tooth was not worth having a dental procedure! I fear & hate dentists LOL! The less time I spend there the happier I am! I had a dentist totally traumatise me as a child so I have this ingrained fear & repulsion! All I know is that I went raw for like the 50th time lol & switched to glycerin free toothsoap instead of toothpaste & started brushing with a natural bristle toothbrush & I looked in the mirror at my teeth one day while I was brushing them & noticed it was GONE! It had filled right back in!

[Draginvry]

I had a dentist totally traumatise me as a child so I have this ingrained fear & repulsion!

I had a dental assistant tear a rip in my gum while putting on my braces. For about three months, it hurt like nothing you could ever imagine. I had to block the spot with my tongue every time I ate, because it hurt like hell if anything else touched it. I was carrying around emotional hate for years.

There is still a scar there, BTW.

[StudentforLife]

"Common Knowledge" is almost always based on its commonality, rather than any actual knowledge.





Maybe I should have worded it a different way. I wasn't saying that it was the be all and end all, just that in that community it's the way it is. And like I said before I think it's fascinating to hear about tooth healing, especially since I worked in that profession.

[rawnora]

A close friend of mine made the same mistake -- he allowed a dentist to essentially remove most of his front teeth (one of which was knocked out in an accident) in order to 'anchor' crowns. He became aware later that a less drastic procedure might have been possible. As we all know, crowns are not permanent and recently one of his fell out and would have cost a fortune to replace if he hadn't been able to find it. If it was possible to re-grow teeth, I can't imagine it not happening in his case because he's been eating optimally (fruits, greens, nuts, seeds, one at a time or simply combined) for 17 years.

Studentforlife, can I pick your brain a bit? A few months ago I went in for a dental exam and was told that I needed one of my crowns replaced. I had no pain or symptoms but apparently the build-up had deteriorated and was allowing food and debris into the area between the crown and the tooth. Rather than replacing the crown, I opted to have a dentist friend laser some of the gum tissue away and drill into the build-up so he could see inside to determine if there was decay (there wasn't), and replace the build up. Ever since then, the tooth has been sensitive to cold and pressure. I often find myself chewing on the other side to avoid it, even though my teeth don't even line up properly on the other side. I never had this problem before. Do you know what could be causing it? It's been about 3 months since the procedure was done, which I would think would be sufficient to allow the disturbed tissues to heal. Maybe I should give it awhile longer? Do you know what 'remedies' might be possible? Thanks for any insights you can offer!

Regards,
Nora
www.RawSchool.com

[Revvell]

Testing that currently as I had a filling fall out and part of the tooth that was left chip away. My understanding is what can degenerate can re-generate. Also, I've got some major gum receding because of an overbite that was neglected and looking to see if that changes as well.

Revvell

[Ginger]

I agree. I have 3 fillings that I got as a kid & they are starting to fall out in pieces. I am going to conciously try to grow my teeth back. My brushing with that natural brush & using toothsoap & a water pic combined with eating raw & some visualisation techniques should do it! Every day I am saying thank you for my perfectly healed teeth! :D

[ashstars]

.

Sorry you're so disappointed Ashstar. It does stink when you get a crown because yes, that is the only way you can get a crown, with a majority of the tooth saved down to a particular sized nub. Most dentists won't do them unless it's absolutly needed because they don't want to harm a healthy tooth. Sadly though there are dentists who don't have the experience or they claim that they don't but they're just doing the crown to get more money. I'm glad I don't work for them anymore. They're crazy :D



Thanks for everyone's replies! Well the thing that gets me most upset is that i really didnt even need a crown. I had quite a small chip on both teeth and the erosion was only on the top layer of enamel not going into dentin. They were not sensitive or painful at all. It was only a cosmetic decision. It sucks because the only real reason I went to this particular dentist was because she accepts care credit but now I regret it cos shes not a good dentist at all and I trusted her to fix my teeth. She also shaved down the very tops of my 4 bottom incisors because she said they were too long and could crack the crowns from knocking against them and now my bite is out of whack. My incisors are too short to touch against the top teeth so the bottom canines are constantly hitting the top teeth and they are becoming so sore. It hurts when I talk to the point where I dont want to even speak. Sorry about the ranting I'm just really depressed about it.

She charged my credit card for the entire procedure 1,800 but has only put on the temporary crowns thus far. She didnt do the mold impression of my teeth yet to have the porcelain crowns made. Do you guys think it would be advisable to have the procedure done elsewhere and see if she can remove the charge for what she didnt complete? She is just making me really unhappy.

[StudentforLife]

Studentforlife, can I pick your brain a bit? A few months ago I went in for a dental exam and was told that I needed one of my crowns replaced. I had no pain or symptoms but apparently the build-up had deteriorated and was allowing food and debris into the area between the crown and the tooth. Rather than replacing the crown, I opted to have a dentist friend laser some of the gum tissue away and drill into the build-up so he could see inside to determine if there was decay (there wasn't), and replace the build up. Ever since then, the tooth has been sensitive to cold and pressure. I often find myself chewing on the other side to avoid it, even though my teeth don't even line up properly on the other side. I never had this problem before. Do you know what could be causing it? It's been about 3 months since the procedure was done, which I would think would be sufficient to allow the disturbed tissues to heal. Maybe I should give it awhile longer? Do you know what 'remedies' might be possible? Thanks for any insights you can offer!

Regards,
Nora
www.RawSchool.com


Sorry it took me so long to reply.

Yeah, messing with a crown can be tricky, especially with what I talked about before with exposed dentin and tooth pulp and how sensitive it is. When your dentist friend removed some of the gum tissue he/she exposed dentin. Enamel does not cover the tooth up above the gum line, so if you have gum loss where there is no enamel barrier those dentin pores are there out in the open. He/She should have a solution that they can brush over that area to help with the sensitivity.

Now if it's not the gum issue it could be something to do with drilling into the crown itself. Because the real tooth underneath is very small and there is only millimerters to the tooth nerve,(depending if the nerve is still entact or if you had a route canal), Any sort of drill vibration can definately aggrivate the area. Probably the best way to check that would have been to get an x-ray, not to drill into the crown.

I hope it gets better for you.

[StudentforLife]

Thanks for everyone's replies! Well the thing that gets me most upset is that i really didnt even need a crown. I had quite a small chip on both teeth and the erosion was only on the top layer of enamel not going into dentin. They were not sensitive or painful at all. It was only a cosmetic decision. It sucks because the only real reason I went to this particular dentist was because she accepts care credit but now I regret it cos shes not a good dentist at all and I trusted her to fix my teeth. She also shaved down the very tops of my 4 bottom incisors because she said they were too long and could crack the crowns from knocking against them and now my bite is out of whack. My incisors are too short to touch against the top teeth so the bottom canines are constantly hitting the top teeth and they are becoming so sore. It hurts when I talk to the point where I dont want to even speak. Sorry about the ranting I'm just really depressed about it.

She charged my credit card for the entire procedure 1,800 but has only put on the temporary crowns thus far. She didnt do the mold impression of my teeth yet to have the porcelain crowns made. Do you guys think it would be advisable to have the procedure done elsewhere and see if she can remove the charge for what she didnt complete? She is just making me really unhappy.


Man I hate when they mess with the bite of a mouth. It feels so foreign to you after.

Before you go further I would definitely have a meeting with her and discuss how unhappy you are. Let her know that you know this wasn't the only option and until the crowns are in your mouth you shouldn't have to pay the full price,(let her sweat a little). In the mean time start calling around to other practices, talk to other dentists and see what their take on it is. I know that tooth issues can be the most miserable experiences to deal with. Stay strong.

[rawnora]

My friend really excels at his profession and has for 20 years so I trust he did the best that could be done. I will have to ask if he put anything on the exposed dentin to protect it. We did x-rays but it was impossible to tell whether there was decay under the crown and he needed to determine that before sealing it back up. The sensitivity seems to be coming more from under the crown than from the tissue surrounding it but we will be exploring all the possibilities. Sometimes it is hard to tell exactly where tooth pain is coming from because everything is so close together in there. Thanks again for your help!

Appreciatively,
Nora
www.RawSchool.com

[Sharon in Colorado]

I had a tooth capped a few months ago (I've always had dental issues, and this was something that I've ignored until I couldn't ignore it anymore) anyway, he took the x-ray and said it wasn't the root, but because of a lot of decay he needed to cap it to keep it from further decaying.

After the drilling, I believe he exposed the nerve because I felt a ton of pain and sensitivity. There wasn't any pain before - the reason I went in was because some of the filling that was already in there came loose, but I didn't experience any pain until after he drilled it. He was using the non-adrenaline novacaine (I'm allergic to epenepharine - however it's spelled), which meant it wears off quicker, and I had to get repeated shots of the novocaine. The pain was quite unbearable.

I just think he drilled too deep and got to the nerve.

I am curious how dentists know when they've drilled too deep?

[StudentforLife]

I had a tooth capped a few months ago (I've always had dental issues, and this was something that I've ignored until I couldn't ignore it anymore) anyway, he took the x-ray and said it wasn't the root, but because of a lot of decay he needed to cap it to keep it from further decaying.

After the drilling, I believe he exposed the nerve because I felt a ton of pain and sensitivity. There wasn't any pain before - the reason I went in was because some of the filling that was already in there came loose, but I didn't experience any pain until after he drilled it. He was using the non-adrenaline novacaine (I'm allergic to epenepharine - however it's spelled), which meant it wears off quicker, and I had to get repeated shots of the novocaine. The pain was quite unbearable.

I just think he drilled too deep and got to the nerve.

I am curious how dentists know when they've drilled too deep?

Believe me, they usually know. When you're working with a drill on the tooth for so many years you can feel the difference. The tooth has many layers and the layers have different makeups. Usually you can tell you've hit the nerve when you're drilling into the tooth, which is white, and then you see a dot of red. That is the nerve. You could most certainly have pain when you drill almost to the nerve because that trauma of the drill vibration can really bother the nerve. Drilling is never fool proof.

[sno white]

Are teeth alive? I had thought they were. If they are why can’t they regenerate like bones? I am a newbie and have wondered about this so I have been reading your post and the replies with great interest. I have several crowns and hope that they will regenerate. I have also wondered and hoped that the filled teeth would heal. There are no dentists in my area that replaces mercury fillings but I could not afford having the mercury fillings removed any way sooo I will continue to have a lot of hope that my teeth improve.

[Gosia]

Nora, I had several situations when I was absolutely sure that I had a tooth-ache (the pain seemed to have been coming from the inside of the tooth to me), when in fact there was no tooth damage/cavity at all. I then realized that it was a different problem then I initially thought. I have deep pockets from my past gum disease. My dentist recommended that I use special toothpaste for sensitive teeth, but I prefer not to, and opt for fluoride-free toothpaste instead. I noitced that when I do not eat right (unripe fruit, too much nuts/dried fruit, cooked food relapses) then I am more likely to suffer from this problem. Anyway, in recent year, I have not had any problems with sensitive teeth, thankfully.

Gosia


PS By the way, if regrowing the tooth is possible, I am very interested in seeing before and after pictures. Thus far, there has been no documented evidence. So, anyone hoping to succeed, please take them and share them with the raw community.

[StudentforLife]

Are teeth alive? I had thought they were. If they are why can’t they regenerate like bones? I am a newbie and have wondered about this so I have been reading your post and the replies with great interest. I have several crowns and hope that they will regenerate. I have also wondered and hoped that the filled teeth would heal. There are no dentists in my area that replaces mercury fillings but I could not afford having the mercury fillings removed any way sooo I will continue to have a lot of hope that my teeth improve.


Yes, teeth are alive. The thing that makes them alive is the nerve right at the heart of it,(and of course the living human attached to it). Once a nerve dies though the tooth is dead.

I have often wondered myself about the whole "why can't teeth regenerate" thing. I guess I look at it this way- if someone loses a limb it can't grow back, no matter how healthy you are or what you do, but if you skin your knee the skin will come back because it's a normal part of healing. I just think that if you've lost several parts of the tooth already it doesn't seem possible for it to morph back to it's full original form. And remember, the mouth is where things heal the fastest because of the environment.

Don't get me wrong, I would love to see it happen. The first person who proves it will have accomplished something truely awesome.