Dental implants can make a smile look fabulous – I know I have them. However, if you are just thinking about getting them, you may have a lot of questions. You may be wondering how smoking affects implants, whether or not wine will stain them, if they can be whitened or other concerns. I also know from experience that it can be intimidating to ask some of these questions to your dentist. In my dental implant blog, I am going to answer the questions that can be hard to ask. I hope you find the info you need in this blog and that it guides you to the right decision about dental implants. Thanks for reading!
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What To Do When a Crown Comes Loose
Isobel Berry
Okay, one of your crowns has come loose and you have no idea how to handle the situation. Fortunately this is rarely an emergency, but you do need to take a few steps to ensure that the problem can be rectified as quickly and effectively as possible.
Stay Calm and Collect the Crown
The first thing which most people do when they lose a crown is panic. The crown may have been fitted years ago, leading many to simply forget that the tooth isn't completely real, so having it come loose is usually rather disconcerting.
Try not to panic, and carefully remove the crown from your mouth as soon as possible. Crowns are small, so they can be easily swallowed or breathed into the windpipe; if you're eating, spit the food out into a napkin rather than taking the risk.
Contact Your Dentist and Sterilize the Crown
You should ideally see your dentist straight after a crown has become dislodged, but this is not always possible. Since crowns often come loose while eating it's something which is more likely to occur during the evening, and your dentist might not have an opening for a day or two, unless you're experiencing pain. If you are experiencing pain and your dentist cannot see you, find an emergency dentist near you.
Contact the dentist right away, explain the situation, and make an appointment. Until then you can clean the crown in some sterilizing fluid, then make sure it's kept safe by placing it in a small, secure container.
Make Sure You Treat the Tooth Well
The tooth itself will either be vital (alive) or non-vital. If it is vital than it will probably be sensitive to hot or cold drinks and food, so avoid these if you notice any such sensitivity. If it is non-vital then you should experience no pain at all, but it's necessary in either case to prevent any food debris from becoming lodged in any opening which has appeared, as this may lead to the root.
Make sure you clean the tooth carefully with a soft-bristled toothbrush, and try to avoid eating anything which requires a lot of chewing.
Consider Whether You Really Need a Temporary Fix
Temporary cements are available from chemists, and they work well in the short-term. This is often seen as necessary if the tooth is at the front of your mouth and you won't be able to see the dentist right away, but remember that these are not strong cements.
The risk of the crown coming loose – particularly while you sleep – is often not worth the temporary replacement, so ask yourself whether it is really necessary. If you do decide to re-fix, remember to only use a product which has been made specifically for that purpose.
Losing a crown rarely comes without stress, but following the advice presented in this guide will help you deal with the situation in the right way.
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