My Child’s Tooth Hurts After Getting a Silver Crown

If your child’s tooth hurts after getting a silver crown, it’s understandable that you’d be concerned.

The good news is that mild discomfort and sensitivity are normal for a few days after the procedure. But if the pain is severe or the silver crown hurts your child’s tooth months later, it could be a sign of an issue that requires treatment from a pediatric dentist.  

In this guide, the team at Innovative Pediatric Dentistry will explain why a child’s tooth may hurt from a silver crown, what symptoms are par for the course and when it’s time to call the dentist.

In the dental world, the term crown doesn’t involve royalty. Also called a cap, a dental crown is a restoration placed on a damaged, decayed, or infected baby tooth when a filling isn’t enough to do the trick. A crown covers the entire visible portion of the tooth to the gumline. 

Dental crowns for baby teeth are commonly used to:

• Prevent a weak tooth from breaking
  
• Restore chewing function
  
• Seal the tooth after pulp therapy (a baby tooth root canal)
  
• Prevent further decay
• Replace a large filling that’s failing
• Allow the baby tooth to stay in place until it’s ready to fall out naturally
  

You might be wondering why dental crowns for baby teeth are necessary if the teeth are going to fall out anyway. Well, the baby teeth save space for the permanent teeth, allow kids to chew properly, and support speech and facial development. 

When a baby tooth is lost too early, the other teeth have a tendency to shift, which can lead to bite issues and crowding. Depending on the affected tooth and your child’s age, a dental crown might be the best way to save their tooth and prevent future orthodontic concerns.

Silver crowns, or stainless steel crowns, are durable and cost-effective, which is why they’re frequently used on a child’s back teeth, where chewing pressure is highest.

Just like adults, it’s normal for a child to experience mild sensitivity or soreness for a few days after getting a crown. After all, the tooth was treated, cleaned, and shaped to fit the crown, so some temporary irritation can occur. 

But if your child’s silver crown tooth pain is severe or doesn’t resolve in a few days, it could be due to something else. 

Common Reasons a Silver Crown Tooth Hurts

High Crown Placement

If the crown sits slightly high, your child may feel discomfort when biting down.

Signs include:

• Sharp pain when biting or chewing
  
• Saying the crown feels “too tall” or their bite feels off
  
• Jaw soreness
• A clicking noise when biting
  

This is usually an easy fix. Your pediatric dentist can simply adjust the crown to balance the bite. 

Tooth Nerve Irritation

If the decay was deep, the nerve inside the tooth may have been irritated before or during treatment.

Symptoms of nerve irritation include:

• Sensitivity to cold
  
• Throbbing discomfort
  
• A severe toothache that gets worse at night

In many cases, this irritation will settle as the tooth heals. However, if it doesn’t, a pulpotomy could be needed to treat the inflamed pulp. 

Teeth Grinding (Bruxism)

Nighttime teeth grinding, technically called bruxism, puts a lot of pressure on the teeth. This can cause a recently crowned tooth to hurt. Long-term bruxism can also damage the crown and surrounding teeth. 

If your child grinds their teeth, ask their pediatric dentist if they could benefit from a nightguard. 

Food Impaction

If sticky foods or things like a popcorn hull get stuck around the crown, it can cause gum irritation and pain. 

If your child’s silver crown hurts their tooth out of the blue, have them rinse their mouth out really well with water and then gently floss and brush around the crown to rule out food impaction. 

Reasons a Silver Crown Hurts a Child’s Tooth Months Later

For long-lasting dental crown pain, common culprits include:

New Decay Around the Crown

Although crowns protect the tooth, if plaque builds up, a cavity can still form along the edges where the crown meets the natural tooth.

You might notice dark edges around the crown, and your child may complain of:

• Pain when eating sweets
  
• A bad taste in their mouth
• Toothache

If this happens, book a visit with a Naperville pediatric dentist ASAP. The earlier the cavity is treated, the easier the treatment will be and the less likely it is that the decay will reach the tooth’s nerve. 

Hidden Cracks Underneath the Crown

Chewing on hard objects or trauma, such as getting hit in the mouth while playing sports, can occasionally create hairline cracks in the tooth beneath the crown. 

Because stainless steel is so durable, there will likely be no visible damage on the crown itself; however, your child might experience:

• Sharp pain when biting or chewing
• A toothache that comes and goes
• Extreme sensitivity to hot and cold food and drinks

Gingivitis or Metal Sensitivity

If your child isn’t diligent about brushing around the crown, they can develop gingivitis (early-stage gum disease). This is because plaque tends to settle around the margin of the crown, which then leads to inflamed gum tissue if it’s not promptly removed. 

Additionally, if your child is sensitive to the metals used in the crown, they could have similar symptoms, such as:

• Red or puffy gums
• Bleeding gums
• Discomfort when brushing and flossing
• A crown that feels loose

The first step is ensuring your child brushes at least twice daily and flosses once a day. If the issue persists, schedule an appointment with a pediatric dentist. Professional treatment, including a professional dental cleaning, can reverse gingivitis. 

If the dentist suspects a metal sensitivity, they will likely suggest switching to a biocompatible zirconia crown.

While stainless steel crowns are very secure, they can come loose if:

• The cement wears down
  
• The child bites something very sticky or hard
  
• The tooth underneath changes shape as it resorbs naturally

If the silver cap fell off your child’s tooth, make an appointment with your pediatric dentist as soon as possible. Leaving the tooth uncovered can allow decay to develop. Depending on the cause, the crown can often be cleaned and re-cemented.

If your child complains that their silver crown tooth hurts, you can:

• Encourage gentle brushing and flossing around the crown
• Have your child swish with a salt water rinse (½ teaspoon of salt dissolved in eight ounces of warm water)
• Temporarily avoid very sticky or hard foods
• Monitor for swelling or worsening pain
• Schedule a dental exam if the discomfort continues

Contact your pediatric dentist right away if your child experiences:

• Persistent pain
• Swollen, red, or puffy gums
• Facial swelling
• Trouble chewing
• A loose crown
  
• A crown that falls off the tooth
  

Early evaluation can prevent more complicated problems.

Dental crowns are one of the most effective ways to protect severely damaged baby teeth and keep your child’s smile healthy.

While silver crowns are durable and safe, mild discomfort can occur after placement. If the pain doesn’t go away or appears months later, your pediatric dentist can quickly evaluate the tooth and make adjustments if needed.

At Innovative Pediatric Dentistry, we offer both stainless steel and white dental crowns for baby teeth, including zirconia crowns, so families can choose the option that works best for their child.

If your child’s tooth hurts from a silver crown, their crown feels loose or the restoration falls off, we’re here to help. 

Schedule a visit at Innovative Pediatric Dentistry in Naperville today, and we’ll get your child out of pain and back to chewing and smiling with confidence again.