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The process of placing a dental crown to repair a tooth that is damaged, decayed or cosmetically flawed usually requires two separate visits to Tara Hills Dental, and this means you may need to wear a temporary dental crown. Keep in mind that because a temporary dental crown is, in fact, temporary, it requires special care to avoid complications.

When you initially visit for a dental crown, one of the first steps is to remove the tooth enamel layer to shape the tooth receiving a crown so that it becomes an abutment and can support the permanent dental crown later on. Since the process of creating a dental crown often takes a few weeks to an off-site dental lab, you may need to wear a temporary dental crown during this time to protect the abutment tooth.

An important fact to remember is that the purpose of a temporary crown is to protect the abutment safe, and it does not have the same stability as a custom permanent crown. Using the temporary crown should be restricted to small bites of soft food, avoiding any excessive or heavy chewing, using gum or biting into crunchy and hard food. These practices could cause the crown to become damaged or even fall out, and this can hurt the abutment as well as leave it vulnerable to bacteria.

You should maintain your regular oral health care routine while wearing the temporary crown, such as brushing and flossing every day to keep your teeth clean. You can floss around the temporary crown, but take care to avoid dislodging it while maintaining the health of your gums. Choose a dental floss that is waxed so that it’s easier to move around the tooth without having to force the string between the crown and other teeth.

We encourage you to call our office at 510-724-7474 right away to speak with our dentist, Dr. Feriel El Ghaoui, if you have suffered a loose temporary dental crown in Pinole, California.