Dental crowns, also known as caps, are a common option for replacing teeth that are badly decayed, discolored, or damaged. Crowns look like the rest of your natural teeth and will be barely noticeable once they’re properly in place. However, the possibility of a crown falling off your teeth increases as a crown gets older, particularly if you eat something that is too hard or extremely sticky.
A crown falling out may initially be a shock, but it’s not a huge deal. Here’s what to do:
- If the crown is stuck in your mouth, remove it carefully to avoid breathing or swallowing it in.
- Get in touch with your dentist immediately or, if possible, come to our clinic right away. If you’re traveling and can’t get in touch with us right away, keep the crown clean by rinsing it with a sterile cleansing solution. Once it’s dry, store it in a tight container.
- The tooth from which the crown fell off is either alive (also known as vital) or dead. A vital tooth will be highly sensitive to hot or cold drinks, so it is best to avoid eating them while your crown isn’t in place. For a non-vital tooth, avoid allowing food particles to get lodged in the affected tooth.
- If it’s absolutely necessary to re-attach the crown (if it affects your front tooth), you can buy temporary cement at the drugstore. However, we strongly discourage using temporary cement because it will only increase the likelihood of breathing or swallowing the crown while you’re asleep. “Superglue” should never be used when attempting to put crowns back into place — not only are they potentially toxic but they can destroy the crown.
Got a dental emergency? Give us a call ASAP!