Let’s talk about dental temporary crowns because they love to come off when your dentist is not available.
Temporary crown is a crown made of temporary material to protect your tooth until the permanent crown is cemented.
Is it necessary to put the temporary crown back on?
Yes. Temporary crown not only protects the tooth but also holds the tooth position in place. Teeth are in constant movement. Without a temporary, adjacent teeth can move. Prepped tooth also wants to touch its opposing tooth so it can even move upwards, which is called supraeruption.
It’s not going to happen over night so relax. But I do not recommend you being without temporary for several days.
What do I do when the temp comes off?
Call your dental office. We will put the temporary back on for you.
What if I can’t go to the dentist right away?
Of course, temporaries love to come off over the weekend, vacation, holidays… whenever the dentist is not available, right?
You can always get over- the- counter temporary cement.
I was at Walgreens and found several OTC crown cement (ex. DenTek). You can find these at department stores under Dental section.
How do you put it back on?
Follow the instructions on the product. General idea is to brush your teeth. Clean the cement inside the temporary if you can. Practice placing the crown on. Make sure it’s aligned correctly. The way you can check that is by biting down. Don’t bite down too hard. Remember this is still a temporary. Place the cement inside of the crown. Place the crown on the tooth. Make sure it is positioned correctly. Bite down on the crown. Not too hard. Remember this is still a temporary. If you have a cotton roll or gauze or even tissue at home. Bite into it for a few minutes. Avoid chewing on that side for about a day.
Sarah Kym, DDS
