I’m a little worried that my gum is infected. There is a dark line on the edge of it. I went to see my dentist, but he said that is normal when you have a crown and it is nothing to worry about.  I can’t help but worrying.  I can’t imagine that my gum being dark is normal.

Ginny D. – New Hampshire

Ginny,

I suspect that your dentist gave you porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns.  Those often develop a dark line at the gum line.  While your dentist is right that it is not an infection, that doesn’t mean you want a gray line visible every time you smile.

Unfortunately, the only way to get rid of it is to get new crowns.  Be sure not to get the porcelain fused to metal crowns again.  What you’ll want is to get an artistic cosmetic dentist to give you all porcelain crowns. You’ll find that not only will you not have to worry about any gray line turning up at your gumline, but you’ll have crowns that look much more natural than I suspect the ones you currently have do.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette LA Dentist Dr. Mike Malone.