Dental crowns are really durable, and often last more than 20 years. But over time, the dental cement holding them in place can weaken, leading to the crown falling out of your mouth. When this happens to you, it can come as quite a shock! So what should you do? The team at Williamson Dental will discuss the best steps to take to protect your crown and your oral health.
- RECOVER THE CROWN, CLEAN IT, AND STORE IT SAFELY
First, retrieve the crown and clean it with warm water to remove any food particles or other debris. Then, store it in a small plastic container or bag, and bring it with you to Williamson Dental. You may be able to have it reattached to your tooth.
If you think you’ve swallowed your crown, you may want to visit the ER or an urgent care facility. It’s possible that you aspirated (breathed) the crown. An x-ray will ensure that you swallowed the crown, rather than breathing it down your windpipe.
If you did swallow the crown, though, don’t worry. It won’t be harmful. It will simply pass through your digestive tract.
- CONTACT WILLIAMSON DENTAL FOR AN EMERGENCY APPOINTMENT
We can typically see patients with same-day emergency appointments, so call Williamson Dental at (636) 937-9241 to speak with our dental team and schedule a consultation. We recommend coming in as soon as you can. It’s best to treat a lost crown within 24-48 hours at most.
- GET SOME TEMPORARY DENTAL CEMENT, IF RECOMMENDED
If you can’t come in on the same day you lose your crown and Dr. Williamson says it’s okay, you can run to the local drugstore to get some temporary dental cement. You can apply this to the crown and place it back on your tooth. The temporary cement will hold the crown in place securely until you can have it permanently reattached at our office.
- TAKE STEPS TO DEAL WITH PAIN & DISCOMFORT
Losing a crown can cause a lot of tooth sensitivity. You can take over-the-counter painkillers like ibuprofen or acetaminophen to help reduce your pain. A topical pain reliever like Orajel may also be helpful if you’re experiencing a lot of discomfort.
Until you can come into our office, you also should avoid chewing on the side of your mouth with the missing crown. Consider eating soft foods like oatmeal, rice, pasta, yogurt, and mashed potatoes to minimize chewing, as this will also help ease discomfort.
- COME TO WILLIAMSON DENTAL FOR TREATMENT
Come to our office as soon as you can for treatment. Dr. Williamson will examine your mouth and determine why the crown failed.
Then, he will either reattach your crown, if possible, or take impressions to create a new crown. If a new crown must be built, you’ll be sent home with a temporary crown to protect your tooth, and you’ll come back in a few weeks to get your permanent crown attached to your tooth.
Lost Your Crown? Get A Same-Day Appointment!
At Williamson Dental, we always have same-day emergency appointments available for patients near our Columbia dentist office.
