Fillings are materials used to fill cavities in the teeth. Crowns cover the tops of damaged teeth. Sometimes, fillings or crowns fall out. In some cases, a filling or crown may come loose because there is decay underneath it. The decay destroys part of the tooth, so it no longer has a tight hold on the crown or filling.
If you lose a filling or a crown, it can be painful because the exposed tooth tissue is often sensitive to temperature, pressure or air. If you lose a crown, put it in a safe place and make an appointment to see your dentist as soon as you can.
Don't wait too long. What is left of the tooth will not be as strong as your crown. It could be damaged more without the crown to protect it. Also, when a crown is missing for a long time, your teeth may move into the space where the crown was. If this happens, your crown may no longer fit.
At the dentist’s office:
Decay may have changed the shape of your tooth. Usually, this means that your dentist will need to prepare the tooth again to ensure the new crown will fit. If the crown does not fit securely, it will come off again.
If you lose a filling, your dentist will remove the decay that developed between the old filling and the tooth, and place a new filling. If decay has progressed too deep, a root canal treatment may be required.
If you need emergency dental care to put back your lost filling or a crown, please call our dental clinic in NW Calgary.
