7 Steps to Deal With a Broken Dental Crown

websitebuilder • February 26, 2019

A dental crown can last a lifetime, but it may break if you bite down too hard on a nut, candy, or other piece of hard food. If this happens to you, take these steps to minimise pain and get your dental crown repaired as quickly as possible.

1. Remove the Crown

Breaking a dental crown is often painful. As soon as you feel the break occur, take a look in a mirror to see exactly what has happened. If the crown is loose, take it out of your mouth and place it somewhere safe. Don't panic if you have lost the crown or dropped it down the drain; your dentist can make you a new one. However, if you can keep the crown safe, the repair might be faster and easier.

2. Stop the Bleeding

Many people who break a dental crown have bleeding from the gums, tongue or cheek. The edges of a broken crown can be sharp and cause tiny cuts or scratches. Usually these are superficial and you can stop the bleeding simply by biting down on some gauze. If the bleeding doesn't stop, call an emergency dentist.

3. Schedule a Dental Appointment

A broken dental crown requires professional treatment as soon as possible. Call your dentist to find out when they can fit you in. If you cannot get a dentist appointment right away, don't panic; the following tips can help you cope with a broken crown while you wait for repair.

4. Temporarily Repair the Crown

A temporary crown repair can help to protect your tooth until you are able to see your dentist. Purchase some dental cement from a pharmacy. Clean the tooth and then apply dental cement to the affected tooth to cover the exposed nerve.

If you still have the crown, then you can use dental cement to stick it back onto the tooth. This kind of repair is not robust enough to be a permanent solution, but it should reduce pain and protect the tooth from decay while you wait to see the dentist.

5. Choose the Right Pain Relief Medications

Over-the-counter pain medicines can help you cope with pain radiating from a broken crown. Ibuprofen and paracetamol are both good options. You can take these medicines together if one alone does not relieve your pain. Don’t take a greater dose than recommended on the label though.

Also, you should never take aspirin for dental pain. This is because aspirin increases the risk of oral bleeding during dental treatment.

6. Apply a Cold Compress

Relieve the pain of a broken crown by pressing a cold compress against your cheek on the side of your mouth that hurts. Cold reduces blood flow and therefore slightly numbs the area, which can be very effective at reducing the pain you feel. Avoid applying ice directly to your skin, as that can cause skin damage. Instead, wrap your ice pack in a towel or cloth.

7. Eat Soft Foods

If you need to eat before you can get your dental crown repaired, stick to soft foods such as soup, oatmeal, mashed potatoes and yoghurt. Don't eat anything that is very hot or very cold, as your tooth is likely to be more sensitive than usual. Avoid spicy food for the same reason. This kind of diet can help you tolerate the broken crown until you can see a dentist.

Steve King Dental Group is ready to help you with your broken dental crown. Our experienced team can reattach the crown or create a new crown to repair your tooth. Call us today to schedule an appointment.

Wisdom Teeth

By websitebuilder • July 2, 2019
Wisdom teeth are the most posterior teeth located at the end of the upper and lower jaws. They are the last teeth to erupt into the arch and usually erupt during your late teens to early twenties. Often there is not enough space for the wisdom teeth to erupt properly into arch and this can lead to issues such as infections and tooth decay. If your wisdom teeth are erupting, it is a good idea to make an appointment with us and have an assessment conducted. Our dentist will be able to easily tell you if your wisdom teeth will cause problems or if they will not require any treatment.

Whitening

By websitebuilder • July 2, 2019
If you are unhappy with the appearance of your smile book an appointment to see one our lovely dentist. Teeth whitening is a simple and effective method which can produce rapid results to help you achieve the smile you desire. There are several factors which can discolour your teeth such as foods, tea and coffee, soft-drinks as well as yellowing through the natural process of aging. Our dentists will be able to easily identify the source of your discolouration and create a treatment plan with you to achieve the smile you desire.

Root Canal

By websitebuilder • July 2, 2019
Root canal treatment is conducted in order to remove an infected or necrotic pulp from within the tooth and replace it with a long-lasting filling. The dental pulp is located in the centre of a tooth and consist of nerve fibres, blood vessels and other dental cells. If the pulp is compromised due to infection or injury patient will often experience a severe tooth ache and may require a root canal.

Regular Check-ups and Oral hygiene

By websitebuilder • July 2, 2019
It is highly recommended to see a dentist regularly in order to protect your oral health. At Steve King Dental Group, we recommend 6 monthly check-ups accompanied with a professional scale and clean. This allows us to identify any potential problems at the earliest stage possible and create a treatment plan to address your needs.

Emergency Dentistry

By websitebuilder • July 2, 2019
At Steve King Dental group, we understand that not all problems occur during working hours; If you have had an accident, knocked a tooth or are in pain, please call our practise immediately on ..... Our dentist are available after hours, as such we can get you out of pain and relaxed quickly. We recommend not to delay treatment as you may put yourself at risk of further complications.

5 Signs That a Filling Needs Replacement

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Fillings should last for several years, but how can you tell if one of your fillings should be replaced? Find out in this blog post.

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