What to do if your crown comes off
Find the crown and keep it. One that comes off in one piece can often be cemented back on, which is quicker and costs less than a new one. Rinse it, dry it, and keep it somewhere safe.
Look inside it, too. A piece of tooth in there means the tooth itself has broken, rather than the cement letting go, and that changes what can be done. Bring the crown either way. Until you are seen:
- Keep the area clean. Brush gently around the tooth and rinse after you eat.
- Chew on the other side.
- Expect some sensitivity to cold, sweet food and air.
- Temporary dental cement from a pharmacy can hold the crown for a short time, if it seats fully without forcing. Treat it as a stopgap, not a repair.
- Do not use superglue or any household adhesive. It is not made for the mouth, and a crown glued even slightly out of place is much harder to put back properly.
What to do if a filling falls out
A lost filling leaves a hole, and often a sharp edge. Rinse with warm water, keep the hole clean, and chew on the other side. Pharmacies sell temporary filling material that can cover the hole for a short time. If the edge is cutting your tongue, a piece of sugarless gum pressed over it will protect you until you are seen.
Fillings rarely fall out for no reason. Usually decay has started at the edge, the tooth has cracked, or the filling has worn out. Finding that reason is the first thing we look for.
Is a lost crown or filling an emergency?
Usually not, if it does not hurt. A tooth that is a little sensitive but otherwise comfortable can wait for an ordinary appointment. Call, or request an appointment online and the office will call you back.
Do not leave it long, though. A tooth shaped for a crown is smaller and weaker than it looks, and without its cover it can chip or break. The teeth around it can also drift, and once they do, the old crown may no longer fit.
Call sooner if the tooth throbs, aches on its own or keeps you awake. That points to the nerve, and it is a toothache to treat, not just a crown to replace. Tell whoever answers what has happened and they will get you seen.
How we fix it
At the office on Tazewell Street, we look at the tooth first and usually take an X-ray, because what happens next depends on what is underneath. If the tooth needs repair, it is numbed first, and we explain each step before we do it.
If the crown is in one piece and the tooth under it is sound, we clean them both, check the fit and the bite, and cement the crown back on.
If there is decay under it, the crown is damaged, or part of the tooth has broken away, the tooth is repaired and gets a new crown, made from a digital scan. Our page on dental crowns explains what a new crown involves.
A lost filling is usually replaced with a tooth-colored filling. If too little tooth is left for a filling to hold, we will tell you, and explain why a crown is the stronger repair.
What it will cost
That depends on what the tooth needs, which nobody can tell until it has been looked at. Before any work starts, you get a written estimate, and if you have insurance we file the claim for you. See insurance for the plans we work with.
No insurance? The Virginia Dental Club is a membership plan for people without dental insurance. It is not insurance: no deductible, no annual maximum and no waiting period.
How to keep it from happening again
Crowns and fillings most often fail at the edge, where they meet the tooth. Decay starts there when brushing and flossing miss it, and a check-up catches it while it is small. Sticky sweets like caramel can pull a loose crown off, and chewing ice can crack a filling. If you grind at night, tell us, because grinding puts a heavy load on both.
Questions patients ask
Can I glue my crown back on myself?
Not with superglue or any household adhesive. Temporary dental cement from a pharmacy can hold it for a short time if the crown seats fully. Then call to have it cemented properly.
Can the same crown be put back on?
Often, yes, if the crown is in one piece and the tooth under it is healthy. If there is decay underneath or the tooth has broken, the tooth needs repairing first, and usually a new crown. Keep the old one and bring it with you.
Why does my tooth hurt now that the crown is off?
Most of the enamel was shaped away when the crown was made, so the tooth underneath reacts to cold, sweet food and air. Some sensitivity is expected. Pain that throbs or lingers suggests the nerve is involved, so call sooner.
What if I swallowed my crown or filling?
A swallowed crown or filling usually passes through without harm. If you had a coughing fit when it happened, or you are wheezing or short of breath, get medical care, because it may have gone down the wrong way. Either way, call us about the tooth.