Permanent Dental Crowns? Are we supposed to guarantee the life of a crown?

Dental Crowns are a main part in the Cosmetic dentistry, and they are very differently rated when it comes to the actual Dental practice. In the Indian dental market, the best crowns made from Zirconium material are charged from Rs. 6000 to even Rs. 15000 depending on the material used, and of course, depending on the place and various other factors. But the thing that hits me hard as a Dentist, is that, we are in such a state where people have started asking guarantee for these crowns, and just to make it worse, there are companies which are providing warranty cards for certain time period!

Seriously? do we need to guarantee and assure that the dental crown that we placed is going to stay in their mouth as it is for at least 10 years and if anything happens to it, we would be called responsible for that?
Think about it before you tell your patients next time that you would provide a warranty for the crowns! Even a Cardiologist who provides a new life to someone with a severe heart disease through stents or even with a replaced heart, does not guarantee the patient that the normal functioning of the heart is restored for the rest of their life. Why are you trying to convince someone that the crowns are going to stay for always?

Such thoughts keep coming in my mind, but I didn’t feel like writing about it until I got inspired by Dr. Sridhar Reddy, who had shared his similar thoughts, and they are as below:

AFTER ALL, “NOTHING IS PERMANENT”.
CROWN WARRANTY FOR 15 YEARS!
Some of the Dentists are issuing warranty cards to the patients boasting “5 years warranty”, “10 years warranty” and “15 years warranty” for the so-called Permanent Crowns.
Name one Cardiologist distributing warranty cards for the stents place in the heart? If they fail, will Cardiologists promise free surgery to their patients? why this happens only with the Dental profession?

Most of the Dentists exuberantly explain to the patients that permanent crowns would “Last for life time”? After two or three years, patients come with warranty card and fractured crown. The Dentist will have little option but to run away back door.. due to unwarranted promise he made.

I suggest not issuing any warranty cards as it may lead to legal problems. The cards issued to the patients are generally given by the Dental lab. As the cards bear the address of the dental lab, patients may use that to get the other information which is usually between you as a dentist and the dental lab technician. You will be in a problem in one or the other way.
You can replace the crown freely, if it is dislodged or fractured within a year or two in case you are convinced that it is a technical lapse. Otherwise patient may get upset or make it a big issue. Even the Automobile seller says “25 Kms for Liter of Petrol” *** Under Standard Test Conditions (which means if you drive in air without friction).

Many philosophers said it long back, “Nothing is Permanent”, so feel free to explain this to your patients and try to give them good work. That will enhance your practice in long run.

So, it’s not just for the betterment of the practice, but being true would make you a better individual and you are not a Dentist just for the sake of it or for business. Think about every smile that you create, and the satisfaction and respect you get back. Be true and be good!