Sugar Land, TX dentist tells about lost fillings or crowns

What can you do about a lost filling or crown? Paul Davey DDS, Sugar Land, TX dentist shows you the correct strategies until you get to the office.

You bite into a celery stick and hear a crunching noise. Then, a dental crown falls out of your mouth. Dr. Paul Davey, Sugar Land, TX dentist, addresses these restorative dentistry problems in his modern office.

How can you lose a filling or crown?

Dental restorations, such as amalgam or tooth-colored fillings or dental crowns, don’t last forever. Even individuals who carefully floss twice a day and brush daily with fluoride toothpaste experience damage to their restorations. Semi-annual check-ups provide good insurance against deterioration of crowns, fillings and bridgework, too, but time, wear and tear and even dental decay can undermine teeth, loosening caps and cracking fillings. Add the stresses of biting and chewing or tooth-grinding, and there goes part of your dental work.

What should you do?

As soon as you lose a restoration, call your Sugar Land, TX dentist at Texas Got Smile right away so as to avoid pain and additional damage to the tooth or surrounding gums. This is particularly important if the tooth has already been undermined by decay underneath the restoration. Plus, a dental crown may no longer fit over a tooth if the its configuration has changed during the intervening time. Dr. Davey and his staff make every reasonable accommodation with same day appointments, if possible.

In the meantime,  your Sugar Land, TX dentist advises protecting the affected tooth to decrease pain, sensitivity and further damage. Over the counter clove oil calms sensitive teeth, and dental cement (never Super Glue!) works well to put a crown or piece of filling back in place temporarily. Be sure your tooth is clean and completely dry before attempting to replace a dental cap.  Additionally, simple petroleum jelly, denture adhesive or orthodontic wax can hold a tooth together while travelling to the dental office.

At Texas Got Smile, Dr. Davey will examine your tooth to check for additional damage, cavity  or abscess. He will remove any decay, old filling material and reshape the tooth to accept the crown or new filling. Your dentist will remake the crown as needed, placing a temporary as necessary.

Avoiding damage

Besides your routine at-home and in-office dental hygiene, here are some tips to keep crowns and fillings in place as long as possible:

  1. Treat all your teeth gently. Whether you have fillings, crowns, dental implants, porcelain veneers or any other cosmetic or restorative dental treatment, avoid eating extra-hard foods such as ice, taffy and peanut brittle. Also, don’t chew or bite non-foods such as plastic packaging, bottle caps and pencil tops.
  2. Keep your 6-month check-ups with Dr. Paul Davey. He always checks the status of existing restorations for signs of wear, decay and damage.

Contact the office

While losing a restoration is not an emergency the way a fractured tooth or dental abscess is, be sure to get to Texas Got Smile right away. In fact, any time you have a question or concern regarding your oral health, feel free to contact your Sugar Land, TX dentist and his friendly team.

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