A cap or crown is fixed when the tooth is broken or missing or for a root canal procedure or for other reasons your dentist may find it appropriate to fix a cap. This is placed on the tooth to give a natural appearance and the cap is encased with cement on the damaged tooth. Sometimes, the cap that is fixed on your tooth may fall. There is no need to panic. This is a very common complaint we encounter on a normal basis by patients. Just immediately visit your dentist in Pune for further clarification and treatment. Let us see the reasons and the necessary action to be taken once if your cap or crown falls off.
REASONS
* The one thing you have to remember is that the cap is not an alternative to tooth. This is just a cap that covers your damaged tooth.
* If you have bitten something hard enough or something sticky to damage the cap, it may loosen from its position.
* The tooth under the cap might have decayed or the shape had got changed. This may loosen the cap and eventually comes off.
* Another simple reason would be the breakage of crown or the cement holding it was not strong enough to hold the crown in its place.
* There may be a weak tooth structure to hold a crown due to which it comes off after a short period of wear and tear.
WHAT CAN BE DONE AND WHY IT SHOULD BE DONE?
* Do not delay in taking an appointment with your dentist.
* Without crown the tooth may weaken further.
* Possibility of sensitivity and pain is more.
* The structure of the tooth may change and make the task difficult for the dentist to fix the same crown and re-cement it.
* To avoid infection or decay that may affect natural tooth as well.
Are there any preventive measures till your doctor visit?
Though immediate doctor visit is must, if you could not meet your dentist right away, then follow these instructions:
Clean your crown and tooth with brush. Dry it before fixing it with temporary cement fillings that are available in the pharmacy and fix it. These are temporary adhesives and cannot last long as they are weak. Once fixed with a temporary adhesive, do not bite anything hard or chewy and do not even floss. This will disturb the temporary filling. You can apply clove oil as a temporary remedy, if your cap is damaged and cannot be fixed. Please remember these are just temporary relief to avoid decay and infection. It is compulsory that you visit your dentist.
What a dentist will do?
1. If the crown is not broken and if the tooth is in proper structure, the dentist will re-cement it permanently.
2. If the crown is damaged, your dentist will fix the damaged tooth with a new cap or crown.
3. Your dentist will first check your tooth for any infection or decay. If decay is there and the structure is changed, you may need a new crown after treatment.
4. Specialized dentists in Pune understand the reason behind the loosening of cap and take care by replacing or re-cementing the fallen cap.
Dr. Nitin Oswal
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