Dental Emergency Help- What to Do if You Lose a Crown or Filling

Dr. David Hudnall

Dental emergencies can be stressful and seem to come at the most inconvenient times. One of the most common dental emergencies includes losing your crown or filling. Luckily, there are steps you can take to help you through a dental emergency before you can visit a dentist. I have been practicing dentistry for 18 years and specialize in emergency dental care. It is important to schedule an emergency dental appointment as soon as you can. You can visit emergencydentist247.com to quickly get an emergency appointment scheduled and receive treatment. One common emergency people experience is losing their crowns or fillings.  If you realize you’ve lost a crown or filling, follow these steps to help save your tooth.

Schedule an emergency dental appointment

If you notice that you’ve lost a crown or filling, the first thing you will want to do is schedule an emergency dental appointment. It’s important that you don’t wait too long to receive care as your tooth is fragile and sensitive to temperature, pressure, or air. The quicker you can get into a dentist office and receive treatment, the safer your teeth will be. If you wait too long and your crown is missing for a long time, there is a chance your teeth will move into the space where the crown was and a new one will no longer fit. Your dentist is going to assess any damage that has been done and fit your tooth for a new crown or filling. It’s important the new crown fits correctly and securely, or it will fall out again.

Cover your tooth

After your appointment is scheduled and you’re waiting to receive treatment for your lost crown or filling, it’s important you cover the tooth or space where your crown or filling was. You can do this with dental cement which is available at most drug stores. If you are having trouble locating any dental cement you can also use gauze or cotton balls to cover your tooth. It is important to protect your tooth to the best of your ability because of how fragile it is with a missing crown or filling. Food and debris can enter the space easily and cause further damage. The more damage that is done, the more difficult it will be to replace the crown or filling. You will want to keep the tooth as safe and protected as possible until your emergency dental appointment.

It can be a stressful time if you experience a dental emergency. They never come when it’s convenient and it can be difficult to receive the care you may need. However, knowing how to handle some common dental emergencies can ease some of the stress you may be feeling. If you think you may have a dental emergency seek help right away. The longer you wait, the more serious your condition can become. It’s a dentists priority to keep you as safe and healthy as possible and they will want to help you with whatever it is you may be experiencing.