Blog

After all the time, effort, and money required to put in a crown, having it pop out of place is the absolute last thing you want to deal with. While it’s certainly true that a quality crown should be able to do its job over the long term, it is also important to remember that there are a variety of reasons that a crown might come off. The first step toward effective troubleshooting is to determine why the crown come off in the first place. Talking to your dentist is always important, both to help determine the cause of the problem but also to figure out the appropriate next steps.

Causes

In certain situations, crowns may come loose when they don’t have enough tooth to latch onto. Some back molars can often be too stubby to provide enough of a foothold. In such cases, additional treatments may be required to provide adequate tooth form to hold a crown in place. Alternatives to the crown may also need to be pursued, such as a bridge or dental implant. These solutions can be just as effective as a crowned tooth, but are better suited to the specific needs of your teeth.

Another common cause for a loose crown is a cavity and/or decay under the crown. Erosion of the tooth means less material for the crown to stick to and a higher likelihood of it coming loose. Again, your dentist can help you figure out if your loose crown is indicative of a bigger problem.

What to do

If your crown comes off, do not try to stick it back onto your tooth yourself. This will most likely result in it coming unattached once again and putting you at high risk of swallowing it. Touching or handling the crown can damage it, so the best option is to call your dentist right away and set up an appointment to see if your crown can be re-cemented or explore other options for repairing or replacement. Make sure to bring the popped crown to your appointment, as it will be instrumental in the repairs. Most often, repairing crowns is something easily accomplished by an experienced dental care provider, so trusting these professionals with the important task is a good bet.