If you run your tongue along your teeth and notice that your dental crown feels broken or chipped, you should seek immediate dental care, but remain calm. Typically, this is cause for an appointment, though not an emergency one unless you are also in severe discomfort. You can start by calling our office to schedule an appointment and then place a cold compress on your face for 15 minutes to reduce any swelling. You can also take ibuprofen to reduce any discomfort you may have. Until you can get to our office, be careful with what you eat and stick with foods that are soft and not too hot or too cold. Otherwise, you could create further irritation and damage.
As a cosmetic dentist, we also recommend that you feel how loose the dental crown is. If it feels like it may fall off, there is a risk that it could indeed do so and be swallowed. In this case, you should visit us right away. While scheduling your appointment, let us know how loose the crown is, and we will make recommendations regarding whether or not you should try to remove it on your own. Do not try this without our guidance.
When you visit our cosmetic dentist office, we will examine your damaged or loose crown and your teeth. We will need to determine whether the damage is to the crown, the tooth, or both. Next, we will create a treatment plan to address whatever issue there may be. In some cases, a damaged crown can be smoothed and repaired, while, in others, it must be removed entirely. In this situation, we will either recommend replacing the crown with a new one or replacing the tooth with a dental implant. This is particularly relevant if the tooth underneath is damaged and unable to be restored with a new crown. We are experts at this procedure, so if you do need a dental implant, we can give you a permanent replacement tooth that will function like a natural one, be beautiful, and blend in completely. There is no way to know for certain what the condition of your tooth or crown will be until you visit us for an examination, so delaying is not in your best interest.
While waiting for your cosmetic dentist appointment, be careful with all of your teeth, engage in low-impact activities, and eat soft foods until we can examine and correct the problem.
