Just What Are Those Gray Lines Anyway?

Whether you see it when you look at yourself in the mirror, or even on friends or co-workers, that dreadful gray line along the gum is staring right back at you. It is on the edges of the cap (crown) you (or someone else) has on the front tooth. You may adjust your smile a bit, or try not to stare at it when talking to someone with it, but you can't help but see it. Believe me when I say you are not the only one that notices it. But what exactly is it?

The cap (or crown) that was placed years ago was made of a material that wasn't particularly esthetic. It has porcelain covering up a gray metal core . The porcelain appears opaque in order to "mask" the metal, which is terribly fake when placed next to a natural tooth. It also doesn't even vaguely match, and frankly, it probably never did. The majority of these crowns no longer have the seal up against the tooth that it may have once had. Bacteria would then be getting in underneath and burrowing its way to the center of the tooth where the nerve resides. Do you have to live with this, or are there other materials that are superior to this? The good news is that gray line should be a thing of the past.

The material of choice is an all porcelain crown. There is no metal whatsoever, and it is every bit as strong as the antiquated technology of the porcelain over metal crown. Even if the gum should move away from the crown as in the before photo, you will still never see the edges. Isn't technology wonderful.

The photograph demonstrates this exact scenario. Three old caps were placed many years ago that were the porcelain on top of a metal core. Over time, the teeth changed color, the porcelain discolored, and the gums have receded. This is a perfect cocktail for disaster. The after photo shows 3 all porcelain crowns right next to the untouched teeth. There are no gray lines, and it is not in the least bit discernable that there are crowns there at all.

So get a glove and get in the game. Change out those gray crowns for ones that are natural, and elegant in appearance. Besides, it isn't polite to stare.

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