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March 2022

Health

Your dental crown is essential, but what happens when it’s lost

The relevance of many parts of the human body may not be really appreciated until they are lost, and this is the case with a dental crown. This component of the dental space serves as a sort of the first line of defence to the tooth, preventing it from decaying.Dental crowns are yet useful in improving the appearance of the teeth, especially after a corrective procedure has been performed.

When you lost a crown off a tooth, the probability of getting a tooth infection is increased as the tooth is directly exposed to debris that could accumulate and cause problems over time. In such a scenario, one will have to quickly visit the dentist to fix things up.

When do I need to see a dentist after temporarily losing my crown?

Some occasions involving lost or slipped-out crown really warrant you to quickly see a dentist after losing your dental crown, and some of these include:

  • When you feel a significant amount of pain
  • When the crown is out of place, leading to the tooth protruding to the point of injuring surrounding tissues
  • When the crown becomes a threat to your breathing – a choking hazard, so to say.
  • When you find it hard to completely remove the crown that has moved out of position

At the dentist’s office

Once you’re at the dentist for the management of a lost crown, he or she will conduct some examination to determine the next line of action. Where there are no complications, and with you having the lost crown, the specialist will just slip it in back and you will be free to go home thereafter.

On the other hand, if you do not have the lost crown with you, the dentist will look to get you a replacement. But before then, and in the instance where there is a decay, a thorough clean-up/treatment is first done before the replacement. The dentist will see to it that a new crown is configured based on your need. Just for the mention; crowns can be made from materials such as porcelain, resin, or metal, and can last for 10 – 20 years based on material component.

After seeing the dentist

After the dentist must have carried out the necessary procedure(s) to correct the issue of your lost crown, the onus will be on you to further prevent the recurrence of a sudden loss of the dental crown. It is to this end that the following measures should be considered:

  • Maintain good dental hygiene to reduce the incidence of tooth decay. Brushing the teeth and flossing daily should suffice in this regard
  • Be careful about how well you consistently use the part having the crown when eating – hard foods, most especially. The consumption of sticky and sugary foods should be limited or entirely avoided
  • Desist from the habit of teeth grinding as this could cause the premature wearing of the crown
  • Schedule regular appointments with the dentist for routine dental check-ups

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