A Lost Restoration is a Dental Emergency
It often happens at the worst possible time—you bite down on a piece of sticky candy or crusty bread, and suddenly you feel a hard mass in your mouth. Losing a dental crown or a large filling is a startling experience, but it is a common dental emergency.
For residents of Sudbury, MA, rapid response is essential. When a crown or filling comes off, the vulnerable inner structure of the tooth (the dentin) is exposed. This not only causes severe sensitivity to hot, cold, and sweet foods, but it also leaves the tooth susceptible to rapid decay and fracture.
Step-by-Step: What to Do If You Lose a Crown
If your crown or filling has fallen out, follow these critical steps before heading to our Marlborough studio:
- Locate the Crown: If you lost a crown (cap), try to find it. Do not throw it away! Rinse it gently with water. In many cases, if the crown is undamaged and the underlying tooth structure is still sound, Dr. Fatima can successfully re-cement the original crown.
- Protect the Exposed Tooth: The exposed tooth will likely be very sensitive. You can purchase over-the-counter dental cement or dental wax from a Sudbury pharmacy to temporarily cover the tooth. Never use superglue or household adhesives in your mouth.
- Keep it Clean: Gently brush the area to keep it clear of food debris, but be very gentle around the exposed tooth structure.
- Avoid Certain Foods: Chew on the opposite side of your mouth. Avoid sticky, hard, extremely hot, or extremely cold foods and beverages until the tooth is repaired.
- Schedule an Emergency Visit: Call Innova Smiles immediately. The longer you wait, the higher the risk that the exposed tooth will break or that the surrounding teeth will shift, making it impossible to re-fit the old crown.
Restoring Your Smile Near Sudbury
When you visit Innova Smiles Dental from Sudbury, we will immediately evaluate the affected tooth to determine why the restoration failed. Crowns and fillings typically fall out because:
- Decay has formed underneath the restoration, altering the shape of the tooth and breaking the seal.
- The tooth structure underneath the crown has fractured.
- The cement holding the crown has simply washed out over many years of use.
- The patient has a heavy teeth-grinding habit (bruxism) that broke the physical bond.
Re-Cementing vs. Replacement
If the underlying tooth is healthy and the crown is undamaged, we will thoroughly clean the tooth, prepare the surface, and firmly bond your original crown back into place using professional-grade dental cement.
If there is new decay, we must remove it before replacing the restoration. If the old crown no longer fits perfectly, or if a filling was lost, we will utilize our 5D digital scanning technology to design a flawless new porcelain dental crown or place a new composite resin filling.
Our Marlborough practice leverages high-end materials to ensure your new restoration is stronger, more beautiful, and far more durable than the one you lost.
If you are dealing with a lost crown or filling in Sudbury, MA, don't leave your tooth unprotected.
