Just imagine being all dressed up for your
work Christmas party only to experience a Dental Emergency. Spending a couple
of hours to get ready only to be rewarded with a broken tooth, lost filling or
chipped veneer is the last thing you need, but accidents happen, and a Dental
Emergency is something that should be taken care of as quickly as possible.
Losing a filling or crown, which covers large
fillings, root canals, Dental Implants and other dental restorations can be
hiding new dental caries. That tooth decay will destroy the restorations
causing them to become loose or fall out completely.
Although the loss of a filling or crown isn’t
as noteworthy as a knocked out tooth it can still be described as a Dental
Emergency. Colgate explains that losing a crown or filling can hurt, as the exposed tissue on the
tooth will become sensitive to hot and cold, air or pressure. If you can, save
the crown and the filling, keep it in a safe place, and schedule an appointment
with your dentist as soon as possible.
You can still attend that long awaited
Christmas party, but don’t leave it too long. The tooth under your crown is not
as strong and is susceptible to damage until you have it repaired. Your dentist
also explains that missing crowns could cause your teeth to move in order to
fill the space where the crown used to be. If this occurs, you will have to
have a new crown made, as your old crown will not fit. If you lose a crown,
apply clove oil to the area using a Q-Tip. This will relieve some of the pain
before your dental appointment. Clove oil is available at your pharmacy or the
grocery store in the spices aisle.
If your crown is still intact, try slipping
it back over your tooth. Make sure that you clean the inside of the crown
before cementing with tooth cement, available from your pharmacist. If you are
unable to find tooth cement, you can use Vaseline or a denture adhesive. Keep
in mind that these are not permanent solutions and are only temporary fixes.
Never use Super Glue. Not only is it unsafe if ingested, household adhesives
can also damage the crown and the tooth.
Place dental cement or one of the other
suggestions above directly on to the tooth if you have lost the crown or the
filling as this helps to seal the tooth. Call your dentist immediately as
bacteria and food particles can easily seep into the damaged area.
Remember, your dentist may have to prepare
your tooth as the shape may have changed because of tooth decay. Without proper
preparation, your crown will not fit. If this occurs, it will eventually come
off and have to be replaced again.
If you have lost a filling, your dentist will
remove the tooth decay that may have developed between your tooth and the old
filling before placing a new resin or amalgam restoration.
