Dental crowns are crafted to provide strength and longevity, yet they remain susceptible to the same kind of damage that can affect your natural teeth. Discovering a chipped or broken crown can feel quite stressful, particularly when the damage impacts your appearance or causes physical pain. Fortunately, the team at Suncreek Dental Group can typically resolve these issues through repair or a full replacement. Dr. Ryan Cooper and our staff have put together this information to help you understand why crowns fail and how to handle the situation while following Colorado dental guidelines for urgent care.
Factors That Lead to Crown Fractures
While modern dental materials are designed to endure for a decade or more, they are not immune to the pressures of daily life. Several common scenarios often lead to crown failure:
- Consuming incredibly firm items: Chewing on ice cubes, hard sourdough pretzels, or non-food items like pen caps can cause porcelain to snap.
- Persistent tooth grinding: Known medically as bruxism, constant clenching at night applies massive pressure that eventually fatigues the dental material.
- Physical trauma: Sudden impact from a fall or an injury during a local sporting event in Littleton can easily chip a restoration.
- Natural degradation: Over many years, the bonding agents and the material itself may simply wear down from the thousands of bites you take every day.
Immediate Actions for a Damaged Restoration
If you notice a crack or a piece of your crown has fallen off, try to stay calm and follow these specific steps to protect your oral health:
- Assess the area. Use a mirror to determine if the crown is merely chipped or if the underlying tooth structure is exposed, as significant breaks generally require a faster response.
- Keep the pieces. If the entire crown has detached, rinse it off with cool water and place it in a secure container because Dr. Ryan Cooper might be able to clean and reattach it.
- Adjust your eating habits. Switch to the other side of your mouth when chewing and stay away from very hot or cold drinks that might irritate the sensitive tooth underneath.
- Control the pain. You can use standard over-the-counter pain relievers or rinse with warm salt water to soothe any gum irritation occurring around the site of the break.
- Call Suncreek Dental Group. Dial (303) 933-2522 to explain what happened so we can determine if you need to come in for an immediate appointment.
Professional Solutions for Crown Repair
After you arrive at our office, we will perform a thorough exam to see how much of the tooth and the crown remains viable. Depending on the results, we may suggest several paths:
- Reshaping the surface: If the chip is tiny and doesn’t affect the structure, we can often just smooth and polish the rough edges.
- Dental bonding: We can sometimes use a tooth-colored resin to fill in small cracks and restore the original shape of the tooth.
- Re-cementing: If the crown is still in one piece and the tooth underneath is healthy, we can clean the area and bond the original crown back into place.
- Full replacement: When the damage is extensive or the crown has reached the end of its lifespan, we will create a brand-new, custom-fitted restoration.
Ways to Protect Your Dental Work
- Refrain from biting down on hard candies or using your teeth as tools to open packages.
- Ask about a custom nightguard if you wake up with a sore jaw or signs of grinding.
- Wear a protective mouthguard during any physical activity where a blow to the face is possible.
- Keep up with your routine cleanings at Suncreek Dental Group so we can spot small cracks before they turn into major breaks.
When to Contact Our Littleton Office
Small chips might not feel like a crisis, but leaving a compromised crown alone can allow bacteria to seep underneath, which eventually leads to deep decay or a painful infection. It is always better to have a professional look at the damage early on rather than going through a more complex procedure later. Our trusted family dental office is here to ensure your smile remains functional and healthy. Contact our emergency dentistry the moment you notice something feels wrong.
Category: Emergency Dentistry