Frequently Asked Questions
Regarding After-Hours Emergencies

…My crown/temporary came off:

We want you to put it back on if at all possible. While the tooth may be quite sensitive with its restoration off you need not worry that it will suddenly become infected or decay. In the short amount of time a restoration is out this is not a concern. Our main concern when a crown comes off is for your comfort and appearance. In the event a crown comes off and is NOT a comfort or aesthetics issue we still need you to put it back on (or let us do it). Why? Because often our preparations extend below the gumline. If a restoration is missing for several hours the gum tissue will tend to grow into the void left by the missing material. Several days of this can result in a gum overgrowth that prevents us from fully seating the permanent restoration without resorting to numbing and cutting away the overgrown tissue.

Probably the most readily available and easy-to-use adhesive for a patient to recement a temp or crown is denture adhesive. Any grocery store or pharmacy will have some. Buy the smallest amount of a gel-type you can find. Don’t use it straight from the tube; it’s too thick. Put a dab on your finger, then wet it with water and mix it until it’s thin. Put a thin layer of this inside the restoration and seat it. Crowns only go on in one orientation, so if it’s not popping in easily keep rotating it while applying light pressure until it slips on. DON’T force it down or it could break.

If attempts to recement it yourself don’t work, give us a call. We’ll be happy to do it for you.

…I’ve swallowed a (pick one):

Crown/temporary crown/chunk of tooth/filling While understandably alarming, this is not typically serious. Only if the missing item ends up being aspirated (i.e. breathed into the lungs and/or bronchi) is there reason to worry. If this happens you’ll generally know it because you’ll be coughing like crazy or have labored breathing. This would require a trip to the Emergency Room. In nearly 20 years of practice I have yet to see this happen.

If you know for a fact you’ve swallowed the item in question then you have a choice to make. Do nothing and the item will pass harmlessly through your innards and end up in the city’s water-treatment facility. We can replace/repair the affected tooth.

On the other hand, it IS possible to recover the item. It usually takes just 24-48 hours *ahem*. Yes, if you are willing to do what’s necessary the item will reappear after its Fantastic Journey and can be cleaned, sterilized and (in the case of a crown) recemented! I have had several patients do this. Think of it as a sort of “Dirty Jobs” (a very funny show on TDC) for the individual. When a new crown costing four figures you can see the incentive.

If the prospect of prospecting for lost dental work is less than appealing then you will need to come in for a new restoration. If you are reasonably comfortable and your appearance isn’t compromised too much you can wait until normal office hours. If the discomfort is excessive and/or you look like a Jack-o-Lantern then you’ll have to come in for us to make you a temp.

…My tooth broke:

If it doesn’t hurt and isn’t cutting your tongue or cheek too much, you can wait until normal office hours for repair; a broken tooth won’t decay or become infected as long as it is attended to within a few days If a jagged edge is causing a problem you can often patch it yourself with DenTemp or other commercially-available dental temporary material. Follow package directions. Orthodontic wax also can be used to mask sharp edges.

If the tooth itself is hurting give us a call and we’ll determine if we need to see you on an emergency basis.