What to do when a Dental Crown breaks or cracks?
A dental crown is placed over a tooth to give it a shape and size after it has been worked on and can be permanent or temporary.
A crown can be all-ceramic, porcelain, or even made from gold. It is used to cover a discoloured and shapeless tooth, a dental implant or even restore a broken tooth. Moreover, crowns can be used to strengthen teeth and enhance the smile of a person whose teeth have been greatly affected by lack of proper dental care or simply from a correctional procedure.
A broken or cracked dental crown is often not a dental emergency. However, it is important to have it checked within one or two days; latest three days, especially if there are jagged edges that may irritate the tongue. Sensitivity to hot or cold food items or air may occur if the pulp underneath the crown is still alive. If regular activities such as eating, working and sleeping are being affected by the pain, it is advisable to make an emergency visit to the dentist. A broken or cracked crown is caused by different factors which include biting down on hard items like popcorn kernel, taffy or ice cubes, unsatisfactory or poor installation of the crown, clenching habits and age because just like any other part of the body, a tooth wears off over time because of chewing and grinding, and so will a crown. A properly placed or installed crown can last five to fifteen years depending on the oral hygiene of the user.
Steps to take before one can book an appointment to visit the dentist:
1- Take a closer look of the area with the broken crown.
By use of a mirror or through the keen eye of a family member or friend, check to see if the crown appears to be loose. It is advisable to remove it to avoid accidentally swallowing it. Also, check if there are missing pieces of the crown or if they are simply dislodged.
2 — Examine the tooth left after the crown has been removed
Check if it has jagged edges that will irritate the tongue or are likely to cause any discomfort by rubbing your tongue over the area. It is also important to consider if the discomfort can be persevered for a couple of days or not.
3 - Over-the-counter relief for minor pain
Minor pain can be relieved by taking some over-the-counter pain relievers, enabling one to wait it out before the visit. However, if there is bleeding, the area is extremely sensitive or the pain is unbearable, a trip to the dentist as soon as possible is highly advised.
At the dentist’s, repairs will be made depending on the extent of the damage. If the crown is simply cracked, the dentist usually just reshapes and smoothens it. If the damage is extensive, a completely new crown will be recommended by the dentist. Sometimes it is not the crown that is broken but the tooth. A broken tooth should be immediately taken to the dentist to avoid bacterial infections. When the tooth is plagued by decay, having it removed is the best possible solution.
