Your new crown is designed to be very durable, and with proper care and cleaning it should last for many years to come. Unfortunately, there can be a few rare occasions, such as a blow to the face or chronic gum disease that can affect the abutment of your crown. If one of your crowns has just fallen out, or was knocked out you should call us immediately. We can help you determine the best course of action and schedule to resolve the problem as soon as possible.
In the meantime, there are a few things you can do to help manage the situation.
When a crown falls out, you need to resist the temptation to clean it or the abutment. This should be left for your dentist. If your crown was knocked out by a blow to the face or other injury and you have blood in your mouth, you can clean the area by rinsing with lukewarm salt water. Try to avoid using antiseptic mouthwash as this could irritate gum tissues and cause pain to the exposed abutment.
If bacteria have gained access to the cement anchoring the crown and caused it to fall out, you should see a small nub of tooth or dull gray metal. The crown itself should also be hollow. In this situation, your dentist will can often cement the crown back into place.
If the abutment is damaged or has broken off at the gum line you will see some of it inside the crown. In a situation like this you will need to have a root canal before the crown can be cemented back in place.
If you have a damaged, or broken crown has you should call us as soon as possible at 859.278.9391 to schedule an appointment.