Why Dental Crowns Fall Off, And What To Do In Case Yours Falls Off

Posted on: 1 August 2018

Dental crowns shouldn't fall off, but sometimes they do. You need to know why crowns sometimes fall off and what you can do if that does happen.

Why Crowns Sometimes Fall Off

Tooth Decay

Your dental crown can easily fall off if the natural tooth below it decays. This is because the crown is cemented on the tooth, and if the tooth decays and deteriorates, the crown won't have adequate material to hold onto. This is one of the reasons you need first-class oral hygiene and care if you have dental crowns on your teeth.

Something Loosened the Cement

As hinted above, the dental crown is attached to your tooth by a safe cement material. This means that anything that interferes with the cement may cause the crown to loosen and fall off. An example is when you eat too much chewy food that interferes with this attachment.

You Subjected the Crown to Overwhelming Force

A dental crown attached to your tooth can never be as strong as your natural tooth because it is a foreign material attached to your body. Since even your natural tooth can break or fall off when exposed to too much force, it's clear that exposing the crown to overwhelming force can force it off or crack. This may be the case, for example, if something accidentally hits your mouth or if you bite down on a hard substance. This is why you shouldn't use your teeth as a tool, for example, for opening beer bottles, if you have a crown in place.

Your Natural Tooth Was Too Worn To Begin With

The crown needs adequate material on which to anchor; otherwise, its attachment to the tooth won't be too strong. For example, if your tooth is too eroded (this problem is common with the back teeth), there might not be enough surface area for the cement to cover. Such a dental crown may not be strong enough to withstand the normal uses of teeth, and it may fall off after some time.

What to Do

Hopefully, you won't be dealing with any fallen off crown any time soon. However, if you do experience such an injury, the following tips should help you deal with it:

Deal With the Pain

You can have a serious painful injury on your hands if your crown is accidentally knocked off in an accident. Therefore, it might be a good idea to pop an OTC painkiller before seeking a more permanent treatment.

Try To Reinsert the Crown

If the crown is not cracked or lost, then you should try to reinsert it. This is particularly good advice if you can't see your dentist or any dentist in time. Pick up temporary crown cement from a local pharmacy and use it to reattach the crown; don't forget that you still need to see a dentist at the earliest opportunity possible.

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