Can you help me? I have recently been diagnosed with a titanium allergy. I have had three crowns placed and have had a dull ache since then. Is it possible I have a titanium post and that is contributing to the dull ache? When my dentist looked at it he said everything looks fine. But, it doesn’t feel fine. I don’t know what to do?
Adina
Dear Adina,
I’m sorry about your titanium allergy. It is a rare allergy (<4%) and too many dentists just write off allergies and sensitivities altogether. Generally, a post is not placed in a crown unless you have had a root canal treatment. This is to help retain the build-up material that is used to retain the crown, sort of like beams and cement in a home. If these crowns are from a root canal treatment, I would start by asking your dentist what material your post was made from. There should be a record in your file listing what type of post was used.
It used to be that the posts were all pretty much stainless steel, but between 10-20% of people have an allergy to nickel, which is in stainless steel. Because of that, many dentists switched to using titanium posts because they are much more biocompatible.
If your post is made from titanium, then yes, that could be contributing to your dull ache. Other things for your dentist to look into are the occlusion of this crown and also whether your crown is made from any metal. If you find it hard to get your dentist to take this seriously then you can go to a holistic dentist. They are much more open to considering the whole body and not just the teeth.
One other thing. If you ever end up needing a tooth replacement and want to get a dental implant, there are now options to the titanium implants. Tell your dentist you want the zirconia implants. These are metal-free.
This blog is brought to you by Lexington, KY Dentist Dr. John Weaver.
