Your Dental Crown Fell Off! What Should You Do Next?

Few things in life are permanent, but when you receive dental crowns, you're going to hope that they will be permanent. For the most part, and if you maintain an appropriate level of dental hygiene, they should be fairly permanent. There can be some occasions when this is not the case thought. What should you do if your dental crown falls off?

Why It Can Happen

There are two key reasons as to why a dental crown can fall off.

• The bonding agent (dental cement) used to seal the crown over the tooth has destabilised and lost its grip. Though rare, it can happen.

• The structure of the underlying tooth might have changed, causing the tooth to lose contact with the dental crown around it. This can occur when periodontal disease has caused the tooth to degrade underneath the crown, changing the tooth's size and creating issues with how the crown is attached to the tooth.

So what is the best course of action?

Fixing the Issue

Of course you need to retain the lost crown and make an appointment with a dentist who provides dental crowns in your area. Only then can the true cause for the detachment be ascertained. It can be as simple as re-bonding the crown to the tooth in a more secure manner. If the tooth has degraded beneath the crown, the tooth might need attention before the crown can be reattached. In some cases, a new crown might need to be made to better adhere to the tooth. Refrain from trying to reattach the crown yourself using a dental cement kit available through a pharmacy, since the results are often less than professional and can lack the permanence of having a dentist do the job.

Cautions

If the tooth that was covered by the crown had weakened enamel or even if your dentist shaved some enamel off to prepare the tooth for the crown, you need to be cautious when the crown is absent. You might experience sensitivity with some types of food or drink. Anything that is particularly cold or very hot can cause discomfort. Be wary about what you consume while you're waiting for your dental crown to be re-attached.

Ideally, a dental crown will be permanent, but if this isn't the case with your crowns, it's important to remember that the issue can usually be solved quickly and with a minimum amount of fuss.