A dental crown is a highly effective restorative dental tool. A dentist will employ it to protect a vulnerable tooth and restore its oral function and appearance. This ceramic cap covers the surface of an affected tooth and seals into place with dental cement for long-lasting preservation.
Though durable, the crown is not entirely indestructible. Under high pressures, such as an ill-timed bite, the crown may chip, dislodge, or break. If this occurs, the underlying tooth becomes exposed to potential dangers.
You will need to act urgently to repair a damaged dental crown to avoid hurting your teeth any further. If you know what to do ahead of this accident, you can react more efficiently and with less stress. Read on to learn three actions you should take promptly if you sustain damage of any kind to your dental crown.
Call Your Dentist About Dental Crown Damage
If you break or damage your dental crown, do not hesitate to contact your dentist. Do not try to fix the dental crown or reattach it on your own. You could have a high likelihood of harming your crown or tooth if you try to do this.
The dentist can offer you advice when you call. They can provide acute management of potential discomfort you might feel due to the damaged dental work. If you delay reaching out to your dentist, you leave your underlying tooth at risk of serious dental problems. Protect your smile by giving your dentist a call as soon as you can after this accident.
Attend Emergency Dentist Appointment
When you call your dentist after suffering damage to a dental crown, they will likely ask you to come to their office for an emergency dental appointment. They will want to evaluate your smile as soon as possible. Do not forget to bring your dental crown with you to the office.
The dentist will then examine the broken crown, the exposed tooth, and the rest of your smile for signs of additional damage. Then if it is intact, the dentist will place the crown back over the tooth and seal it with dental cement once again.
But if the crown suffered too much damage, the dentist will need to make a new customized crown for you. They can provide you with a temporary crown to shield the tooth during the time it takes to build a permanent crown.
Prevent Further Harm to Your Dental Crown
Once your dental crown is restored to your smile, you will want to take measures to ensure you do not suffer further harm to your dental work. Pay attention to your smile and your oral habits to avoid another accident to the crown. Do not bite down on hard items that will generate pressure that could harm the crown.
You should also take note of teeth grinding or clenching behaviors. These chronic habits can wear down your dental work and result in hurting the crown to the point it requires emergency repairs. You can protect the fit of the crown by ensuring the rest of your smile stays healthy with good oral hygiene too.