What Are These Black Lines Around My Teeth and Gums?

I routinely get asked “what are these black lines around my teeth and gums? I hate it!” What most patients are referring to is the unsightly color of the metal underneath their dental crown. There are many different materials that can be used in fabricating dental crowns and this particular crown, the porcelain fused to metal (or PFM), has a dark band around the margin of the crown where it meets your tooth. Over time, your gums may recede from this junction and make this black line become more evident. Today’s dentistry has advanced to the point where we can use all ceramic, tooth-colored crowns that contain no metal at all. There will never be a black line around your tooth and gums, even if the gums should show slight recession over time. They blend in beautifully with the teeth around them and they are just as strong and in some cases stronger than the traditional PFM crown. (more…)