Temporary crown fell off? What to do, plus eating, pain and care tips

Temporary crowns are held with weak cement on purpose, so they can be removed easily at the fitting appointment. That is why they sometimes come off. Here is what to do, step by step:

1. Find the crown and check it is in one piece. If it is broken, keep the pieces.
2. Rinse it and gently clean old cement out of the inside. Rinse the tooth too.
3. Check the fit: place it on the tooth without cement and bite gently. It should sit in the same position as before.
4. Re-cement it with temporary crown cement from a pharmacy: put a thin layer inside the crown, press it on, bite gently, and scrape away the excess once it sets.
5. Call your dentist, even if it feels fine, so they can check the fit and re-cement it properly.

If your temporary crown fell off on the weekend and you cannot get cement, a small amount of denture adhesive can hold it for a short time; otherwise keep the crown safe and see your dentist on the next working day. A lost temporary crown, or one that fell out and was swallowed, needs replacing soon: keep the tooth clean, avoid chewing on it and call your dentist. If you think you breathed it in and are coughing or short of breath, get medical help straight away.

What is a temporary crown?

A temporary crown, or provisional crown, protects a prepared tooth while the permanent crown is made in the lab, usually for one to three weeks. It keeps the tooth comfortable, stops the teeth around it moving, and lets you eat and smile normally in the meantime.

What does a temporary crown look like? It is tooth-coloured and shaped like your tooth, but usually a little less glossy and natural-looking than the final crown, and its edges may feel slightly rough. Most are made chairside from acrylic or bis-acrylic resin; an acrylic temporary crown is quick to make and easy to adjust.

Temporary crown cost is usually included in the crown fee. If a temporary breaks or is lost and has to be remade, some clinics charge for the extra visit. For what the full crown costs, see how much does a dental crown cost in NZ.

How a temporary crown is set up: the procedure

The temporary crown procedure takes only a few minutes at the end of the preparation appointment:

1. Before shaping the tooth, your dentist takes a quick mould or scan of it.
2. After the tooth is prepared and the scan for the permanent crown is taken, the mould is filled with tooth-coloured resin and placed over the tooth.
3. Once the resin sets, the temporary is removed, trimmed, polished and checked against your bite.
4. It is fixed with temporary crown cement. Dentists often use a eugenol-free cement when the final crown will be bonded, because eugenol can interfere with bonding.

For longer treatment, such as several crowns, a bridge or a change to your bite, the lab can make long-term provisionals in PMMA, which are stronger and fit better than chairside temporaries. A dental implant temporary crown is usually screwed onto the implant and may stay in for weeks or months while the gum heals around it. Read more in the dental implant process and timeline, or see our temporary and PMMA restorations.

How to use and care for a temporary crown

Temporary crown care is mostly about not dislodging it:

• Temporary crown eating: chew mainly on the other side, cut food into small pieces, and avoid sticky, chewy and hard foods such as toffee, gum, nuts and crusty bread.
• Brush gently around the temporary, and when you floss, slide the floss out sideways instead of pulling it up, which can lift the crown.
• Avoid very hot and very cold food and drink if the tooth is sensitive.
• Do not try to remove the temporary yourself; a temporary crown remover is a dental tool, and prying can damage the tooth.

Can I eat a burger with a temporary crown? Yes, if you are careful: cut it into smaller pieces, chew on the other side and skip anything very chewy or sticky until the permanent crown is fitted.

Some sensitivity with a temporary crown is normal for a few days, especially to cold, because the prepared tooth is close to the nerve. Temporary crown pain should ease, not worsen. Call your dentist if you have throbbing pain after a temporary crown, pain that wakes you at night, swelling, or pain when you bite, as the bite may need adjusting or the nerve may be inflamed.

Tips & gotchas

• My temporary crown keeps falling off. This usually means the tooth is short, the bite is hitting it, or the temporary is loose. Tell your dentist rather than re-gluing it again and again; they may remake it or use a stronger temporary cement.
• Temporary crown broke or broke in half. Keep the pieces and call your dentist, but do not glue the pieces together. A broken temporary can leave a sharp edge, so avoid chewing on it until it is replaced.
• Never use superglue or household glue. It can damage the tooth and gum and make the temporary impossible to remove without drilling.
• Best temporary crown cement for home use: a temporary crown and cap cement kit from a pharmacy. It is meant to hold for a few days, not until the permanent crown.
• Temporary crown vs permanent crown: a temporary is not built to last, so keep your fitting appointment even if the temporary feels fine.
• Do not leave the tooth bare. A prepared tooth without its temporary can become sensitive, decay faster and drift, so the permanent crown no longer fits.

Temporary bridges follow the same rules; see what is a dental bridge.