Healthy crowns and caps are meant to be sealed at a microscopic level so bacteria cannot get inside and start new cavities or infections. If your crown is loose or coming out it is very important to see the dentist as soon as possible in order to protect your tooth from further damage.
- Call your dental office and make an appointment. If you are not in serious pain you can wait until they are open or leave a message for them to contact you when they come in. Any discomfort you have is not likely to worsen unless something else happens to the tooth.
- Take the crown with you when you go to your dental appointment.
What do you do until you can get to the dentist?
- Look inside the crown. Is there a piece of tooth in it? If so, your tooth has broken off and is in a fragile state. Do not try to put the crown back on.
- Check the tooth. If it has a post sticking out or a hole in the middle it is best to leave it alone.
- If the tooth looks intact you can try to temporarily cement it with denture adhesive or a crown re-cementation kit that is available at drug stores.
- Be very gentle and do not force anything.
- If it continues to come loose, be very careful to not swallow it or leave the crown off.
Your dentist will re-cement your crown with professional materials or let you know if other steps need to be taken.
