Play Full VideoDental crowns are bonded into your mouth with a special dental-grade adhesive. This bonds them in place with the same kind of strength you enjoyed from the original tooth.
While it’s unfortunate, there are times when long-term poor oral hygiene habits or an accidental oral trauma can cause a crown to fall out of place. Should this befall you, it’s important to call 808-450-2155 as soon as possible to have Dr. Edmund L. W. Char examine and treat the problem.
In the interim, there are a couple of things you can do to minimize your chances of experiencing further complications.
It’s best not to attempt to clean, brush or floss any of the exposed abutment or the crown. This could potentially damage the abutment. If an accident left blood or debris in your mouth, you can gently rinse them away with lukewarm saltwater. Any other necessary cleaning procedures should be reserved for our highly trained staff.
If poor oral hygiene and chronic gum disease has allowed bacteria to weaken the cement anchoring your crown, you should see the abutment sticking out of your gums. It will usually look like a small nub of tooth or dull gray metal. The crown itself should also be completely hollow.
If the abutment is still intact, Dr. Edmund L. W. Char might be able to clean the crown and cement it back onto the abutment. If the crown itself was damaged but the abutment is still sound, your dentist might need to take an impression to have a new crown made.
In a severe situation where the abutment itself was damaged or broken off at the gumline, Dr. Edmund L. W. Char might need to treat the tooth with a root canal. In an extreme case where an oral trauma also damaged the socket or root, your dentist might advocate a total extraction.
If you are in the Honolulu, Hawaii, area and you have a problem with one of your crowns, you should not delay in calling 808-450-2155 to seek professional care at Char Dental.