Have you noticed a thin black line forming at the base of your dental crown where it meets your gums? While it might be alarming or make you feel self-conscious about your smile, the black line is actually a common issue associated with porcelain-fused-to-metal (PFM) crowns! The good news is that it is fixable with modern dental crowns, but here is what causes the problem.
What Are PFM Crowns?
PFM crowns were once one of the more popular dental crown options because they have great strength and can blend in easily with your natural teeth at first. These types of crowns have a metal core underneath a layer of tooth-colored porcelain that mimics your natural enamel. However, the metal base can show through over time, which may look like a black line.
What Causes the Black Line Around a PFM Crown?
To ensure full protection, a dental crown sits as close to your gumline as possible. However, as you get older, your gums can recede slightly. This can occur naturally, as a result of gum disease, or even from brushing too aggressively. Regardless of why your gums begin to recede, the same thing happens: the gums pull away from your teeth, exposing the lower edge of the crown. If you have a PFM crown, this is where you’ll see the metal inner structure peeking through, creating a black line.
Fortunately, seeing a black line around your PFM crown is normal and doesn’t mean that anything is wrong with it! It’s just a natural consequence of how the crown is crafted and the health of your gums! That being said, it can be a cosmetic concern. If you dislike the dark strip of color around your crown, you may want to consider switching to a modern, fully metal-free crown!
How Can I Get Rid of the Black Line?
The only way to remove that black line is to remove the PFM crown itself. Replacing it with an all-porcelain crown will eliminate the dark edges around your gumline, as there is no metal to cause them! Metal-free dental crowns are custom-made to match the exact color and shape of your natural pearly whites and are both incredibly strong and stain-resistant. However, if you notice a black line around your PFM crown, it’s important to address the underlying cause of gum recession. Your dentist can certainly help you with that during a consultation for a crown replacement.
Modern metal-free dental crowns are just as reliable, if not more so, than porcelain-fused-to-metal versions! They still look and function like your natural teeth but without the metal component. With proper care, they can even last up to 15 years or longer! Talk to your dentist about upgrading your dental crowns and get your smile back to what it was beforehand.
About the Practice
At My Frederick Dentist, our dentists are committed to delivering exceptional care and service. We offer a variety of teeth restoration treatments, including dental crowns. We partner with a dental restoration lab so that your new teeth look and feel just like your natural ones. We ensure that each tooth is the strong base it needs to be so the dental crown can last you years. If you are wanting to fix an old dental crown, schedule an appointment or call us at (301) 698-9552.