|
Q: What should I do if I break or lose a crown or a filling?
A: Just like teeth, crowns and fillings can break or crack. Fillings
and crowns, both of which fall in the category of "restorations," also
can fall out completely. A crown is also known as a cap. Installation
of a crown is a dental procedure that involves reshaping a tooth, reducing
its size by about 25%, then affixing a natural-looking covering, or crown,
made in a lab. Crowns can be used to repair chipped or decayed teeth and
to improve the appearance of misaligned or discolored teeth.
If a crown or filling comes out, save it. Some restorations, particularly
crowns, can be reused if they come out. So whatever you may think about
potential reuse, let your dentist decide. Call your dentist. Speedy attention
can make a difference in the success of treatment. Until you can get to
the dentist, cover the broken tooth with dental wax from your dental first
aid kit. Don't put anything hot or cold in your mouth. When a crown or
filling falls out, it could be that the decay originally treated has spread.
If you let the situation go, you might be putting yourself in need of
root canal therapy, or you could lose the tooth.
|
Top
