Dental implants are designed to potentially last for decades, but oftentimes the crowns that are mounted on top of them aren't so lucky. The crown takes the brunt of the force when you chew and grind your teeth together, which means that it can eventually develop problems like cracks or breaks or simply pop off entirely, like a standard tooth crown might. If this has happened to you and you're not sure what to do about it, follow this quick guide for help.
Call Dentist
You need to call a dentist about this problem right away. Dental crowns can only be replaced by a professional, and you need to have the underlying implant inspected to ensure that it hasn't been damaged as well. So make the call to a dentist that specializes in dental implants and dental implant restoration.
Avoid Use
From there, you'll need to change the way that you chew and handle your teeth for a bit. If the crown is still hanging on but damaged, then you don't want to chew on it or the crown could potentially fully break and damage the implant underneath.
For the moment, try to only chew on the other side of your mouth and avoid grinding your teeth. However, you should not wear a grinding guard at this time. If the crown is damaged, then a grinding guard may not fit or could damage it further. Just be gentle with it while eating and brushing.
What to Expect
When you get to the dentist's office, they'll inspect the crown first. If it's visibly damaged in some way, then they'll carefully remove it and then examine the implant underneath. This will likely include dental x-rays so that they can get a look at what's going on underneath the surface.
If the implant looks fine, then your dentist will give you a temporary crown while they order a new one for you to replace your original crown. This temporary crown may not fit as well as the old one, but keep in mind that you'll only be wearing it until you get your new, permanent replacement crown.
If the implant itself is damaged, it may be necessary to remove it for repairs or to replace it entirely depending on the severity of the damage. Your dentist will walk you through this process before doing anything so that you're aware of what will be happening. Keep in mind that damaged dental implants can pose a hazard to your oral health, so it's not an option to leave it in place without being repaired or replaced.
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Every time you take a bite of food, you should be grateful for your healthy teeth! A tooth can lose its health and structure quickly once decay sets in. Luckily, if you visit your dentist for regular appointments, the decay should not get too serious before your dentist notices it and can do something about it. That "something" is applying a filling. On the other hand, if the decay progresses too long before it is caught, you may need a crown or even an extraction.
We want to keep our teeth, and we know you want to keep yours. That's why we created this website to teach you more about dentists and dental care. Enjoy!