Help! My Crown Fell Off!
While crowns are meant to be permanently anchored in your mouth, sometimes . Losing your dental crown can be startling, but it usually isn’t a dental emergency. So there’s no need to panic.
However, it’s important that you take the right steps in the aftermath to protect your mouth and make sure the tooth stays intact. Here’s what our emergency dentist wants you to know about losing your dental crown.
Is a broken crown an emergency?
Generally, no. The only time you’d need to call our emergency dentist for a broken crown is if the jagged edges are sharp. In this situation, you may need emergency dental care so you don’t cut your tongue or cheeks by accident. Otherwise, you’ll be able to wait a few days for your appointment.
If your crown broke and the edges aren’t sharp, but it’s still irritating you, make sure you tell your dentist when you go in. This might be the symptom of another condition or just the result of your mouth feeling weird due to your crown breaking.
What should I do if a crown falls off?
Don’t panic. If your dental crown falls off, the first thing you’ll need to do is call our office. We’ll be able to fit you into our schedule as soon as possible, which may be several days from now. Use over-the-counter pain relievers to reduce any pain or discomfort.
If your dental crown is intact, we recommend buying some dental cement from the drug store. Next, you’ll want to clean the inside of your dental crown. Apply the dental cement to your actual tooth and place your dental crown on top. Hold the dental crown in place until the cement dries.
If your dental crown isn’t intact, we still recommend keeping it to show our emergency dentist. Our dentist may be able to reuse your dental crown if it’s in good condition. In the meantime, mold dental wax over your tooth so it’s protected.
You’ll want to use the same dental wax that’s used to push errant wire braces back into place. The good news is most drug stores sell dental wax so it should be relatively easy to find.
Can a crown be removed and reused?
Yes, but it depends on the condition of the dental crown. If your dental crown is intact, our dentist may be able to place it back on your tooth. Otherwise, our dentist may need to make a new tooth crown.
If you need a new dental crown, our dentist will need to take impressions of your teeth to send to the lab. We will then place a temporary crown over your tooth. When you return for your second appointment, your permanent tooth crown will be ready.
Can I still eat if my crown falls out?
Yes, but you need to protect your tooth first. (See the section above about what you should do if your .) Once you protect your tooth, you’ll be able to eat. However, you’ll need to stay away from foods that are hard to chew or sticky.
That way, you won’t pull off your crown again by accident or damage your tooth. It’s also best if you chew on the side opposite of your protected tooth to minimize the chance of accidentally damaging it.
What happens if you swallow your crown?
Call a medical doctor immediately if you think you swallowed your crown by accident. There’s a chance you could have aspirated it instead and your dental crown could be in your lungs. A medical doctor will be able to take x-rays to see where your dental crown went. It’s always better to be safe than sorry.
If you indeed swallowed your dental crown, it should pass in a few days. Dental crowns are small and smooth, which makes it easy for them to pass through the digestive tract.
Need to Make an Appointment?
The team at Plymouth Dentistry offer emergency dental care when a situation urgently needs addressing. To schedule an appointment with our Plymouth emergency dentist, call Plymouth Dentistry at (734) 459-7110.
This blog post has been updated.