If your temporary crown fell off ahead of your permanent crown appointment, you are probably worried about what to do.
Temporary crowns are, naturally, not designed to last forever, and it is not unthinkable or uncommon for them to fall out between dental appointments. In other words, if your temporary dental crown comes off before your dentist can remove it and replace it with a permanent crown instead, don’t panic, it is completely normal and usually not much of a problem. And yet, you should not simply shrug the situation off either as it could easily turn into kne.
In this article, you will discover all of the information you need about what to do if your temporary crown falls off. If this sounds like what you are looking for, then keep on reading.
What can cause your temporary dental crown to fall out
Temporary crowns are designed to last a couple of weeks. In contrast to permament crown, temporary ones are not nearly as sturdy, and while a permanent crown both looks and acts almost like a natural tooth, a temporary crown is more fragile and is in constant danger to falling out.
Since your temporary crown is only intended to last a few weeks, the timeframe where you need to protect it from jumping out is brief. Some of the most important things you can do include avoiding chewing chewing gum and sticky toffees, and avoiding hard foods such as ice cubes, hard candies, apples and nuts.
In the event that your temporary crown does fall out, here is what you should do to recover it.
What to do if your temporary crown falls out before being replaced with a permanent crown
Here are the specific action steps you should follow if your temporary crown falls out.
Recover the temporary crown
First of all, you should recover your temporary crown if at all possible.
In most cases, you will feel the exact moment when the crown jumps out – it may fall into your food or on the ground. Pick it up and put it either in your pocket or a small plastic bag.
If you are not able to find it or it is in cracked or otherwise damaged, you should call your dentist instead. Most likely, your dentist will have to install a new temporary crown until the permament one is ready.
Rinse the temporary crown
Assuming that it has fallen out of your mouth, your crown is likely to have been on the ground where it has been in contact with various bacteria and dirt.
For this reason, you should clean your temporary crown very thoroughly before putting it back into your mouth. Preparing a simple salt water solution to rinse it in is a good idea.
Seal the tooth
After performing the root canal – or whichever other procedure you had before your temporary crown was fitted – your dentist most likely smoothed your natural tooth, leaving it woutout any sharp or ragged edges.
This is hugely advantageous if your temporary crown jums out, becaus it allows you to easily seal the tooth using orthodontic wax. You can get hold of orthodontic wax from most regular drug stores and pharmacies.
Replace the crown
You can use either temporary dental cement, Vaseline or denture adhesive to temporarily replace yor crown. Like orthodontic wax, these are all available from your local pharmacy.
If you have the option, choose dental cement. Dab a small amount onto the insode of your temporary crown before stickign the crown back in place over your tooth.
Rinse frequently
After your temporary crown has fallen off, it becomes extremely important to keep your temporary dental crown clean and infection-free until you can get your permanent crown.
Your best course of action involves rinsing, brushing and flossing your teeth frequently. Be as gentle as you can when you clean the tooth with the temporary crown, as it is likely to fall out again under too much pressure.
Be mindful of how and what you eat
Whether you want to prevent your temporary crown from falling out in the first place or you want to keep it from falling out again, you should watch both what and how you eat.
If you can, avoid foods that are chewy or too abrasive for a tooth with a temporary crown. These foods include chewing gum, taffy, sticky toffee of every description, hard candy, popcorn, nuts, apples, corn on the cob, tough meats and ice cubes. Bread products can also be problematic, especially pizza, biscuits, brownies and bread rolls.
If your temporary crown is lost or damaged, contact your dentist instead
If you are unable to find your temporary crown after it has fallen out of your mouth and left the underlying tooth exposed, or if your temporary crown is now missing, your only option is to reach out to your dentist and request an emergency appointment.
Don’t make the mistake of thinking you can shrug it off and wait for your next appointment. You need the temporary crown to protect your tooth against infection and chipping until your permanent crown is installed, so if your temporary crown is lost or broken, you need a new one.
Temporary crown FAQ
How long can you go if your temporary crown falls off?
If your temporary dental crown falls off, you should deal with it immediately since the temporary crown is there to protect the tooth from chipping, cracking and getting reinfected.
Fortunately, replacing your temporary crown is easy enough. Youc an use either dental cement, denture adhesive or Vaseline, all of which are available from most drug stores and pharmacies. If your temporary crown has been lost or damaged, however, you should contact your dentist instead. Don’t make the mistake of thinking you can get by withot a crown until your next appointment.
What do I do if my temporary crown falls out?
If your temporary crown falls out, these are the steps you should take right away.
First, find or recover the crown. If the crown has been lost or damaged, you will have to contact our dentist instead – you should never attempt to put a broken or chipped crown in place over the tooth.
If you manage to recovery your temporary crown, rinse it thoroughly before it goes back in your mouth. Use orthodontic wax to seal the tooth, and use temporary dental cement, denture adhesive or Vaseline to stick the crown back in place.
Once your temporary crown has been reattached, be extra mindful of how and what you eat, and make sure that you keep cleaning your teeth, including the temporary crown, daily.
If your temporary crown has fallen out once, there is a chance of you accidentally swallowing or inhaling it. For this reason you should try to avoid sleeping or eating with it in.
Should I be worried if my temporary crown falls out?
No. Your temporary crown is only intended and expected to last a few weeks, so if it falls out, it is really no disaster and can usually be fixed rather easily.
Having said that, the temporary crown is there to protect the tooth underneath and it is important to replace it if it falls out.
Can I brush my teeth if my temporary crown fall off?
Absolutely.
Proper dental hygiene is important, even after your temporary crown has fallen out. In fact, it is vital that you keep your teeth and indeed the temporary crown clean while you are waiting to have your permanent crown installed if you want to prevent infection and decay.
If your temporary crown has already fallen out once, you should be extra careful when you brush your teeth. Brush gently with a soft bristled brush.
Takeaway
Your temporary dental crown serves an important function by protecting your tooth from decay and damage while you are awaiting your permanent crown. Temporary dental crowns are by no means as sturdy and reliable as permanent crowns – they’re prone to falling out, so if this happens to you, know that it is completely normal.
The problem with your temporary crown falling out is that your natural tooth underneath will be exposed. The right course of action is to replace the temporary crown as soon as possible, provided that you have not lost or swallowed it (In which case you should book in to see your dentist right away).
Luckily, temporary crowns are pretty easy to replace. Most drug stores sell temporary dental wax, denture adhesive and/or Vaseline, all of which can be used to stick a missing crown back in place over your tooth.