Houston Cosmetic Dentist Answers Questions about Temporary Crowns

A temporary crown is placed on top of a tooth until the permanent crown is made and ready to be mounted.  The temporary crown is very important because it protects the exposed tooth dentin.  Dentin is very soft and vulnerable to both sensation and tooth decay, so keeping it covered until a permanent porcelain crown is ready is paramount to a successful procedure.

It also prevents food from gathering in the tooth, and it prevents the prepared tooth from shifting out of alignment, which would make seating the permanent restoration more difficult.

Patients need to use a soft bristle toothbrush to clean the temporary as they normally do your other teeth. A Houston dental hygienist or Houston cosmetic dentist will let you know if you will be able to floss around it.

It is not unusual to have the following reactions or problems with your temporary crown.

Some patients report soreness after placement of a temporary.

It is normal for the gum around the tooth to be a bit sore after the anesthesia wears off.  However, this soreness disappears within 24 hours.

While a patient waits for his or her next appointment, he or she should chew on the side of your mouth opposite the temporary crown.  It is also advisable to avoid chewing sticky foods because they can sometimes dislodge temporaries.

Sometimes the temporary crown feels rough.

This is not normal.  The temporary should not feel rough.  A patient who feels this should contact his or her Houston cosmetic dentist.

Some patients panic when their temporary crown comes off.

This should not cause panic.  It is actually more common that most people realize.  The temporary is designed to come off easily when it is time to place a permanent crown.  Sometimes certain foods can cause this to happen prematurely.  It is nothing a good Houston cosmetic dentist cannot fix. 

Patients are advised to avoid sticky foods or gum.  Its necessary for a temporary crown to remain in place, so if it falls out, the patient should call his or her dental office to have it re-cemented. 

Sometimes a temporary crown feels higher than the tops of other teeth.

If it is noticeable, this needs to be fixed by a Houston cosmetic dentist.  More than likely it needs to be readjusted. 

Often a temporary crown is unusually sensitive to hot or cold.

Temporaries will not seal as well as the permanent crowns will, so there may be some sensitivity to hot and cold and perhaps when chewing. If it is too painful, however, the patient should contact his or her Houston cosmetic dentist and come in to have it looked at.  It may need to be reseated.

Any questions concerning temporaries can be answered by contacting Cosmetic Dentistry Center of Houston either by email or by phone.  Remember, a temporary only lasts for a week or two before the permanent crown is made, so it is worth paying attention to until the permanent restoration is ready.

Cosmetic Dentistry is a specialized field that requires extensive knowledge and experience to be done correctly. The Medical Center Dental Group in Houston, Texas brings all of that and more to the direct benefit of each and every patient we treat. Although we are located in the world famous Houston Medical Center at Scurlock Towers, we routinely see dental patients who travel from Austin, San Antonio, Dallas, Beaumont Midland and Houston, Texas to see Dr. Dale Brant, Dr. Charles Campbell or Dr. Elizabeth OSullivan-Winslow for their cosmetic dentistry services.