What to Do if You Chip a Crown

A dental crown is a cap placed over your tooth to cover it, restore its shape and size, or increase its strength. It is shaped just like an actual tooth and can improve the appearance of your teeth overall. The crown is cemented into place and fully covers the visible portion of your tooth. This procedure can be used to protect a weak tooth, restore a broken tooth, or cover severely discolored teeth. If taken care of properly, a crown can last a lifetime. However, you can break or chip a crown, which will likely need immediate repair.

If this happens, you will want the best dentists near Arcadia. We have helped countless patients restore their smile through compassionate and quality care.

Causes of Damaged Crowns

Your teeth can withstand a lot, but they are susceptible to chipping or breaking if the pressure is great enough. A crown can further strengthen your teeth, depending on the type of material used. Several things could damage your crown, so maintaining good oral hygiene practices and using safety precautions when doing certain sports or physical activities is important. Below are some of the most common ways people damage their crowns.

Chip a Crown from Injury or accident:

Using protective equipment can help if you are partaking in sports or another physical activity. You can use a mouthguard that can protect your teeth from any impact or pressure.

Chip a Crown from Falling:

Using caution and staying safe are essential. However, not all accidents prove preventable. Ensuring you are healthy and take safety precautions during physical activities helps prevent falling.

Chip a Crown from Teeth grinding:

If you grind your teeth at night, talk with your dentist about a mouthguard. This can help protect your teeth and keep your jaw from being sore in the mornings.
Biting down on something hard: If you have crowns, you should not open things with your teeth or even bite down on hard foods like candy as it can cause unnecessary wear on your crowns.

Regular wear and tear:

While good oral hygiene can help keep your crowns healthy, some people may experience a chip or crack due to wear and tear over the years.

Treating a Damaged Crown

The best way to deal with a damaged crown is to contact your dentist as soon as possible. You may need treatment immediately, which can require seeing an emergency dentist. If your dentist clears you to see the dentist in the next day or two, you may experience tooth sensitivity. You will need to check out the impacted area in your mouth as you may find bleeding. Use warm water to rinse your mouth out and apply pressure with gauze if you are bleeding. If you have to wait to see the dentist use dental cement to protect your tooth. You can find this at most drug stores. But ask your dentist before doing anything.

Once you get to the dentist, they will try to keep your crown intact as much as possible. For the best dental crowns Arcadia has around, visit Premier Dental Esthetics. If the chip isn’t too big, you may be able to get away with your crown being repaired with composite resin. If it’s too big, you may need to get your crown replaced. Your dentist will be able to advise you on the best treatment option for you.

Dental Crowns at Premier Dental Esthetics

If you need treatment for your existing crowns or think you may need crowns for the first time, contact Premier Dental Esthetics. Their dentists can provide you with the best care possible and ensure you get the right treatments for your unique dental needs. Their goal is to get you back to health quickly and effectively. Contact their office and make an appointment today!