My Child's Dental Crown Just Fell Out. What Should I Do?

Unlike permanent teeth, dental crowns can become loose and fall out overtime. It’s important to get a new crown placed as soon as possible! The tooth under the crown is now exposed to the mouth’s bacteria and plaque; making it highly susceptible to decay or infection. It doesn’t take long to replace a crown, so please give us a call to set up an appointment! Here’s a quick explanation on why it’s important to replace the crown in a timely manner.

Exposed Dentin

To fit a crown onto a tooth, the size of the tooth is reduced with a drill. Then, a crown is cemented onto the reduced tooth and fitted to feel like the original tooth. When the tooth is reduced, the enamel layer encasing the tooth’s dentin and nerve is reduced significantly; if not completely.

Dentin decays much faster than enamel. When a crown falls out, the tooth is highly likely to decay or become infected because of the exposure. Take your child to the dentist as soon as you can after noticing the crown has fallen out.

Fixing a Broken Crown

If the crown is cracked or broken, it still needs to be replaced as soon as possible. Cracked and broken crowns can trap food against the remaining tooth, causing further decay and risking infection. You may not notice a cracked or broken crown as easily as a crown that has fallen out, but it requires just as much attention.

Check Your Child’s Crowns Daily

If you’re still brushing your child’s teeth, create a habit to check the condition of their crowns each night. Check for cracks on the surface and sides of the crown(s), redness around the gumline, and loose corners. If the crown is secure on all sides and the top looks good, the crown is in great condition.

If your kiddo is old enough to be responsible for their own teeth, teach them how to check for cracks on their crown. They’ll more than likely notice if the crown is missing, but it could take until the crown hurts to realize it’s cracked.

 Schedule an Appointment

If your child’s crown has fallen out or you’ve noticed it’s cracked, please don’t hesitate to call us! Re-cementing a crown doesn’t take long. If you have any further questions, we’d love to answer them at that time too.