Gold caps after many years: signs of decay under the gold

A gold cap can stay on a tooth for many years, but the tooth underneath can still decay, usually at the edge of the gold. If that edge stops sealing, food and bacteria can get in, and decay under gold that is left alone can cause pain and, in time, cost you the tooth.

A check with X-rays at Durban Dental Care shows what a mirror can't, and we tell you whether the gold can stay. If it should come off, it can, whether it went on ten years ago or thirty, because what matters is the condition of the tooth, not the age of the gold.

Why decay can start under old gold

• To fit the cap, the tooth was filed down, so less of it is protected by its own enamel. That enamel doesn't grow back.
• The cap is held on by dental cement. Where the edge no longer seals, plaque can collect in the gap, and decay can start there.
• Gold covers part of the tooth, so a problem under it is harder to see at a glance.

Signs worth booking a check for

Book a check if you notice any of these around a tooth with gold on it:

• Pain or sensitivity to hot, cold or sweet things in the capped tooth.
• Pain when you bite on it.
• A dark line, or a gap you can catch with a fingernail, along the edge of the gold.
• A bad taste or smell around the cap.
• The cap feels loose or moves.
• Swollen or tender gum next to the cap.

Some decay causes no symptoms at first, which is why a check-up with X-rays is worth having even when nothing hurts.

When it can't wait

Go to a hospital emergency department straight away if you have swelling that spreads towards your eye or neck, a fever with a swollen face, or trouble breathing or swallowing.

For a painful tooth without those signs, call us on 031 563 2473. We see people in pain as soon as possible during practice hours at Durban Dental Care: Monday to Friday 9am to 4pm and Saturday 9am to 12pm.

An old cap doesn't always need to come off

A cap that fits well, on a healthy tooth, can stay, and we keep an eye on it at your check-ups. If the edge has opened, there is decay under it, or you would rather have a tooth-coloured front tooth, the gold comes off.

If the gold comes off

Once the gold is off, we check the tooth. If enough sound tooth is left, it is rebuilt in tooth-coloured composite, matched to your other teeth. If the decay has gone deep, or too little tooth is left for composite to hold, we explain what the tooth needs before going further, and you decide what happens next.

If the gold holds a false tooth, taking it off would leave a gap, so we plan for this with you at the assessment. For what goes into removal, see what gold tooth removal costs.

A composite rebuild can chip or stain over time. It can be polished or repaired, and we check it at your check-ups.

If the cap is loose, leave it in place and call us. Here is why not to remove a loose cap yourself.

Questions about old gold caps