How To Temporarily Reattach Your Dental Crown
Dental crowns do a great job of protecting damaged teeth, but that doesn't mean that they're invulnerable. If your dental crown has popped off, it's imperative that you try and reattach it as quickly as possible to protect your tooth. After you call a dentist to be seen as quickly as possible, follow these steps to keep your tooth safe while you wait.
Clean
First off, you'll need to clean the crown thoroughly and gently clean the tooth, as well. You can vigorously brush your dental crown to remove dirt, bacteria, and any loose material. However, you should be much gentler with your tooth. Since most teeth that need crowns have exposed pulp, too much friction could cause further damage to your tooth. Simply rinsing your mouth with water or mouthwash that contains no alcohol should be sufficient to cleanse your tooth of any debris that would make the crown not fit.
Affix
To reattach your crown, you will either need to purchase some dental cement or use toothpaste. Either solution will work, but dental cement can be picked up from any grocery store or general store's dental section. This type of dental cement isn't permanent like the kind your dentist uses, but it will last long enough to keep your crown in place until you get to the dentist's office. Toothpaste will also work, but it provides a more fragile bond between the crown and tooth. Ideally, you shouldn't lie down or sleep before seeing a dentist if you use toothpaste to adhere your crown, as the crown could loosen during your sleep and be swallowed.
To reattach your crown, take the crown and a small amount of adhesive or toothpaste and apply it directly into the hollow part of the crown. Then, position the crown over the top of the damaged tooth and gently press down onto the tooth. If using adhesive, follow the directions on the container to make sure that you're holding down long enough.
See Dentist
With your crown back in place, you should still make an effort to see a dentist as soon as possible. Affixing your crown yourself is not a permanent fix and your tooth will still be susceptible to bacterial growth until the crown is properly reattached. If you haven't already called an emergency dentist to get help, do so now.
Dental crowns can put up with a lot of wear and tear, but they can still be damaged enough to come off. Following these steps, you can reattach your crown and prevent further damage to your tooth. For more information, contact companies like TLC Dental Center.
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