How Does an Emergency Dentist Recement Dental Crown and Why?

Posted by Thomas Edison on January 28th, 2020

Dental emergencies come in all shapes and sizes. From the complicated surgical interventions to the everyday tooth ache from biting into some ice cream, dentistry offers solutions both treatments and solutions. One of the most frequently encountered problems by any emergency dentist is the dental crown. An even more frequently encountered issue is the need to recement dental crown. This is a quite simple and straight forward intervention, but one that is best left to the professionals.

What Is a Dental Crown?

The crown is the upper part of the tooth. It is the part that is most visible and which is mostly used in day to day life. Due to a variety of factors, such as poor oral hygiene or eating hard foods, the crown can be chipped or cracked leading to pain and the inability to bite and chew food.

A dental crown is what a dentist uses in order to cover up the affected tooth. The crown, also called the cap is made specifically for that tooth and is attached to it with special cement. After the dentist makes a mold of the area, the crown is made out of porcelain, or other materials like zirconia, and placed over the damaged tooth. Crown can last for years, if done and cared for properly.

What Can Cause Crown Displacement and How To Recement Dental Crown?

Attaching crowns to teeth or implants isn’t an exact science. Teeth can shift, food or candy can get under the crown, gums and retract and many other things can happen that can lead to dental crowns moving or falling out altogether. Poor dental hygiene is one of the biggest factors responsible for crown displacement. Many people don’t understand that having a crown doesn’t make them immune to brushing and flossing. And so, the teeth next to the caped one can be damaged leading to further movement of the crown.

The most important thing to do when noticing that a dental crown is unstable is to go straight to a doctor. Some people might attempt putting the crown back themselves by simply pushing down on it. Although there are DIY kits on the market with instructions, or you could just google “ recement dental crown at home”, the smart thing to do is go to an emergency dentist. Even though going to the dentist isn’t the most pleasurable activity somebody could do, trying to fix something like this by yourself could lead to an even bigger discomfort.

How Does an Emergency Dentist Re-Cements a Loose Crown?

Dentists use several types of dental cements in order to re-attach dental crowns. Some use resin cements due to their compatibility with materials used for the crowns. There are also a variety of non-polymeric cements out there, although some dentists use glass ion polymer cements.

Before the process gets under way, the  emergency dentist has to reevaluate if the tooth can still be saved and used or would it be better for it to be removed altogether. Firstly, the surface of the fitted tooth has to be cleaned in order to ensure a good and safe attachment. If needed, the surface is etched using aluminum oxide powder to create a surface suitable for cement adhesion. The surrounding teeth are also cleaned to provide a clean working space. In cases where the crown has been dislodged for some time, there may be a need to remove some of the gums that have tightened over the crown margins. If needed, part of the overgrown gums can be removed using a diode laser.

Cementing material is then added to the tooth surface, and the crown is placed in position. The patient is then asked to bite down on the prosthesis to keep it in place while the cement hardens. Unlike other dental interventions, no ultraviolet light is used to help the cement harden. The patient has to wait for it to harden in time in order to prevent any cracks or uneven hardening. If done properly, event after re-cementing, a dental crown can last up to 15 years, depending on the materials used and on the care given to it by its owner.

How to Take Care of Your Dental Crown?

Dental crowns, although helpful in preventing tooth aches and in protecting teeth and nerves from outside factors, need to be taken care of as well. Some of the things a person could do in order to avoid having to recement dental crown are:
• Avoid foods that are too hot or too cold. Micro-cracks can appear on the crown surface and in time lead to the crown needing replacing.
• Avoid hard foods and candies. Also, sticky deserts can cause debris to accumulate around the crown and even get under it causing it to move.
• A healthy oral hygiene is the best. This includes brushing twice a day and flossing regularly.