Lost a Filling or Crown? Protect It, Then Call
The tooth underneath is exposed and needs cover soon. Call us first thing and we will make a plan for your emergency, including same-day crowns milled in our own office.
What to do right now
These steps keep the exposed tooth safe and comfortable until we can restore it properly.
- 1
Find and keep the crown
If a crown came off, rinse it, look inside for any tooth fragment, and keep it in a small bag or container. Crowns can often be cleaned and cemented right back in place.
- 2
Keep the tooth clean
Rinse gently with warm salt water after eating and brush the area softly. The exposed tooth underneath is more vulnerable to decay while it is uncovered.
- 3
Protect the exposed tooth temporarily
A pharmacy sells temporary dental cement that can reseat a crown or cover an open cavity for a day or two. Never use household glue of any kind; it damages the tooth and the crown.
- 4
Baby that side of your mouth
Chew on the other side and avoid very hot, cold, sticky, or sweet foods. An uncovered tooth is often sensitive, and a temporarily seated crown can pull off with chewy food.
- 5
Call us first thing
This is rarely a middle-of-the-night crisis, but it should not wait long either. Call us, tell us what happened, and we will make a plan to get the tooth covered properly.
Call (603) 924-3664
How we re-cover the tooth
We check the tooth underneath
Fillings and crowns usually come off for a reason, often decay working underneath the restoration. We examine the tooth and take an X-ray so the new restoration goes onto a healthy foundation.
We cover the sensitive tooth
An exposed tooth reacts to air, temperature, and pressure. We seal and protect it right away, whether that is re-cementing your existing crown or placing a proper temporary while the final fix is made.
We restore it in-house, often same day
Fillings are replaced right here. If your crown cannot be reused, our in-office mill lets us design, make, and place a new porcelain crown in a single visit, with no weeks in a temporary.
When to go to the ER instead
A lost filling or crown on its own is a dental problem, not a medical one, and the ER cannot replace it. But go to the emergency room or call 911 first if you also have:
- Facial or neck swelling that makes it hard to breathe or swallow
- A high fever along with mouth pain, which can signal a spreading infection
- Bleeding you cannot control with firm pressure
- Facial trauma with a possible jaw fracture
One more note: if you think you swallowed the crown, that is usually harmless, but mention it when you call. Inhaling one is different and needs medical attention.
Don't leave that tooth uncovered for long
An exposed tooth invites decay and bigger repairs. Call our Grove Street office and we will make a plan to restore it, often with a brand new crown made the same day.
- New patients welcome
- Most insurance accepted