If you’ve bitten into a hard piece of food, had a slip and fall, or have been involved in any other incident that results in a cracked or broken dental crown, you may not be sure what you should do. In this guide from the office of Dr. Priti Naik, we’ll discuss a few steps you may need to take.
Right after you break or crack your crown, you should take a look at your tooth in the mirror. If it’s cracked, determine if the edges are jagged and may cut into other parts of your mouth. If this is the case, you may need immediate dental care.
If your crown is very loose but has not fallen out, it may be a good idea to pull it off of your tooth so that you don’t accidentally swallow it. If you have a dental repair kit from a drugstore handy, you can use this to re-cement the crown in place, but this is only a temporary fix. You’ll still need to get permanent treatment from Dr. Naik at our office in Vienna, Tysons Corner, and McLean.
Damaging your dental work can be stressful, but there’s good news. A broken or cracked crown is not usually an extremely serious dental emergency, and though it may cause you a bit of discomfort, your tooth is not in any danger as long as you get care within a few days.
However, we don’t want you to wait, and offer same-day appointments for most patients, call the office of Priti Naik, DDS at (703) 288-1800 as soon as you can, and tell us about your situation. We’ll do our best to schedule a consultation for you as soon as possible.
Some minor bleeding could happen if your crown is broken or cracked due to dental trauma. You should use clean gauze to absorb blood, which should slow or stop within 1 hour at most. If your tooth is bleeding heavily or the flow of blood doesn’t stop or slow down, you need to come to our office immediately.
Some pain and soreness in your exposed tooth is to be expected after breaking or losing a crown. You can take over-the-counter painkillers to help with the discomfort. Icing the cheek near your affected tooth may also help with your discomfort until you come to our office.
Come to our office as soon as you can for your appointment, and Dr. Naik will determine the best treatment option for you. If you have a very minor crack or the crown is still intact, it may be possible to repair it and replace it, which is a fast, inexpensive fix for your damaged tooth.
However, if your crown is compromised or too damaged to save, Dr. Naik will need to build a new crown to fit your tooth. This process may take multiple appointments, but you’ll get a temporary crown to protect your tooth and relieve your discomfort until your new, permanent crown can be built and placed.
No matter where you are in Vienna, Tysons Corner or McLean, Dr. Naik is here to help you restore your smile after any dental injury or emergency. Contact us online or call today at (703) 288-1800 to get dental care right away.