What to Do About a Lost Filling or Crown
How You Should Handle Losing a Crown or Filling from Your Teeth
For those who may not know, a crown is used by dental professionals to cover the top of a damaged tooth, and a filling is material used to fill the holes left by cavities. Like many things in life, fillings and crowns are not always permanent, and it is possible for them to fall out – fillings and crowns may begin to come loose if decay is forming underneath them. This decay destroys part of the tooth, so there is no longer a snug hold on the crown or filling, which causes it to become loose or come out.
What Can Be Done Before the Dentist?
Generally, the loosening or loss of a crown or filling is not an emergency situation. Even though this is the case, it is not uncommon for this to be painful for patients since the exposed tooth tissue can be very sensitive to pressure, temperature, or air. For those patients who lose crowns in particular, it is important to put the crown somewhere safe and then make an appointment to see the dentist as soon as possible – do not wait too long as the tooth loses strength without the crown present.
When a crown is missing from a tooth, it becomes more prone to additional damage, which is why it should be replaced as soon as possible. Additionally, when a crown is missing for a long period of time, it could potentially lead to the surrounding teeth moving into where the crown used to be – should this happen, it is possible the crown no longer fits. Before going to the dentist, there are some things patients can do, such as apply clove oil for pain relief or even put the crown back in place after cleaning.
What Will Be Done at the Dentist?
Depending on the situation, decay may have already changed the shape of the tooth. This generally means the dentist needs to re-prepare the tooth to ensure the crown fits – should the crown not be a snug fit, it is possible for it to fall out again. Should patients lose a filling, the dentist simply removes the decay that has formed underneath the old filling and replaces it with new filling material. It is important to visit a dentist as soon as possible to prevent any further tooth decay from spreading.
If you've lost a crown or a filling and need a visit to the dentist pronto, you can sign up for our New Hampshire Individual Discount Dental Plan and save as much as 20 percent on all your dental bills. For more information, please click here.
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