What should you do if a temporary crown comes off? First, don’t panic. Temporary crowns are just that — temporary. They are protecting the original tooth until the permanent crown can be cemented into place. Temporary crowns are also used to:
- Let you smile normally
- Limit sensitivity
- Limit surrounding teeth from shifting
- Aid in eating
Although not as serious as losing a permanent crown, you should still contact your dental office if your temporary crown comes off. Until you can contact a dental office for advice, here are some steps to follow.
Step 1. Recover the temporary.
Is the temporary in good shape? If the temporary is intact, you should be able to reattach it to your tooth. If the temporary is chipped or cracked, remove any broken pieces and rinse your mouth to wash away any particles.
Step 2. Rinse the temporary.
Whether your temporary is in good or poor shape, be sure to rinse it off gently using warm water. If the temporary is damaged so it cannot be reattached to the tooth, place the temporary in a plastic bag or container. When you visit the dentist please bring 2 things with you: the damaged temporary crown and the impression in the plastic bag from your appointment.
Step 3. Check the original tooth.
The original tooth is usually a smooth prep that has been sealed and protected. The dental cement that was used to attach the temporary may have sharp edges. To protect your mouth, place orthodontic wax over the tooth. Orthodontic wax is available at any drug store.
Step 4. Place the temporary over the original tooth.
If your temporary does come off, please replace immediately with a temporary cement, denture adhesive or Vaseline. Vaseline may help hold a temporary in place, but please remove the temporary when you eat and sleep to prevent swallowing, or inhaling and call the office ASAP so we may recement it for you.
Step 5. Adhere the temporary to the original tooth.
Dental cement is available at any drug store and is the best option for reattaching a temporary. Place the cement on the inside of the temporary and set it over the original tooth, according to the product’s instructions. If you don’t have access to dental cement, try toothpaste, dental adhesive or vaseline.
Step 6. Rinse frequently.
Keeping the area around the original tooth clean is crucial until you can have the temporary recemented at your dental office. Food particles may contain bacteria that can lead to infection.
How to Care for a Temporary Crown
To reduce the chance of losing a temporary, consider the following recommendations.
Take Extra Care
Keep the area around the temporary clean and use extra caution when doing the following:
- Floss carefully, by pulling the floss through the side to prevent dislodging the temporary.
- Brush the area around the temporary more gently.
It’s a good idea to rinse your mouth more frequently to dislodge particles and remove them from your mouth, decreasing the chance of infection.
Watch What You Eat
Temporary cement is used to attach the temporary crown to the original tooth. It isn’t intended to permanently hold the crown in place, so it is recommended to avoid sticky foods, hard foods and bread products.
Try to avoid the following foods until your permanent crown is in place:
- Sticky foods
- Gum
- Caramels
- taffy
- Bread Products
- Sandwiches
- Pizza
- Bagels
- Brownies
- Rolls
- biscuits
- Hard foods
- Hard candies
- Ice
- tough meats like steak
- Raw vegetables such as carrots or cauliflower
- Apples
- Corn on the cob
- Nuts
Watch How You Eat
Without a temporary, the biting surface is gone. You want to keep food away from that area. Avoid chewing in the area, even if you reattached the temporary. Chewing adds pressure to the tooth, which can loosen or damage the temporary.
Contact Klement Family Dental
A temporary crown comes off more frequently than most patients realize, it is important to see a dentist within one or two days. Even if you are able to recement the crown, you need to have a dentist re-seat it. Going without a crown or a misaligned one can jeopardize the permanent crown’s placement.
While waiting for your permanent crown to arrive, be sure to take extra care of your temporary. Keep it clean and protected by watching what and how you eat. If the temporary does come off, call your St. Petersburg, Florida, dentist as soon as possible. If you have concerns regarding a temporary, contact Klement Family Dental. We offer primary and emergency dental care to ensure the health of your teeth.
Temporary crowns are not strong, and may break or come off. If your temporary does come off, please replace immediately with a temporary cement, denture adhesive or Vaseline. Vaseline may help hold a temporary in place, but please remove the temporary when you eat and sleep to prevent swallowing, or inhaling and call the office ASAP so we may recement it for you.
