Dental crowns are resilient, tooth-shaped caps made from durable ceramic or resin that are cemented over injured or misshapen teeth to restore their appearance and functionality.
Although they can last anywhere from 5 to 15 or more years with the right care, that doesn’t mean that these prosthetics are impervious to harm. Eating hard, crunchy, sugary, or sticky foods can potentially damage, destabilize, or dislodge one altogether, which may require an emergency appointment to address. If you’ve lost your dental crown, continue reading to learn what steps to take to get help!
Step #1: Find the Pieces
Depending on what happened, there’s a chance your dentist might be able to repair or recement your dental crown back over your tooth. That means you will need to try to find the pieces that broke off so you can rinse them and store them in a container to take with you to your emergency appointment.
Keep in mind that there may still be smaller bits in your mouth, so be careful not to swallow them.
Step #2: Rinse Your Mouth
If you sustained an injury that dislodged your restoration, you might also be bleeding or in pain. Rinsing your mouth gently with warm salt water naturally removes bacteria, leftover food, dirt, or other debris that might cause an infection. This can also reduce aches by alleviating fluid buildup behind your tender tooth, helping you feel more comfortable.
Step #3: Try to Carefully Reseat It
It’s natural to want to preserve your crown until you arrive for your emergency dental appointment, and one simple and effective way to do that is by placing it back where it belongs. If it’s in good condition, you can try to place it back over your injured tooth as long as you can do so safely. If the underlying pearly white has jagged edges or was harmed in the process, this isn’t recommended.
Otherwise, you can place a small amount of dental wax, sugarless gum, or toothpaste on your crown and gently reseat it.
Step #4: Contact Your Dentist
Now, if you haven’t already, it’s time to contact your emergency dentist! It’s essential to be seen as soon as possible to prevent potential complications, such as developing additional injuries, damage, or disease while you wait. Thankfully, many dentists offer same-day visits for urgent situations that require immediate attention, and will do everything they can to get you in right away.
Once you arrive, your provider will examine your mouth to determine whether they should repair or replace your dental crown!
Meet the Author
Dr. Lauri Barge is dedicated to helping families in Flower Mound improve their lives by enhancing their smiles. She earned her dental doctorate from the Texas A&M College of Dentistry and has remained committed to continuing education to offer the most current treatment options. Her caring approach is combined with advanced technology to provide a comprehensive menu of services, including same-day emergency care, at one convenient location. You can request an appointment on the website or by calling (972) 539-3800.