Lost Filling or Crown? Here's What to Do

Dental fillings and crowns are tough, but there’s no guarantee they’ll last forever. No matter what’s shaken your filling or crown loose, we’re here to walk you through your first steps to save both your tooth and your dental work.

Crowns and fillings are two of our most reliable restorative dentistry tools. With their help, we can fill cavities, repair damage, and give battered teeth new life. However, nothing gold can stay, and fillings and crowns unfortunately have a tendency to fall out.

Some of the most common reasons for losing a filling or crown include:

New decay around the filling
Chewing too hard
Biting down on hard or crunchy foods
Teething grinding and clenching (bruxism)
Trauma or injury

Even a chemical reaction inside your mouth can loosen the bonding material and untether your dental work.

No matter what, a lost filling or crown requires a trip to the dentist, but you play a crucial role in protecting your tooth before you get to us.

Our team at Mamkin Dentistry Aesthetic & Restorative Center in Ridgewood, New York, has all the details for you here.

What to do when your dental work comes loose

The first step is not to panic. A lost filling or crown is rarely an emergency, but it can be quite painful since your tooth tissue and root are directly exposed to temperature, pressure, and air.

Fillings that fall out can be tough to recover, but if you find your crown, put it in a safe place until your appointment.

Try gargling with some warm salt water to keep your mouth clean, and take care when brushing and flossing. You should also avoid chewing and biting down directly on the exposed tooth.

We recommend coming in as soon as possible, even if you think you can grin and bear it through the pain. Your tooth without its filling or crown is vulnerable and weak. Missing a crown for too long can cause your surrounding teeth to shift out of place, and losing a filling opens the door to bacteria and decay.

To manage your pain in the interim, try these simple remedies:

Apply clove oil to the sensitive area with a cotton swab
Clean the inside of the crown and carefully put it back in place
Apply dental wax or temporary filling over a lost filling
Take over-the-counter pain medication
Apply a cold compress
Use a topical numbing agent

Call us before you try any of these strategies, and we can walk you through some best practices.

What our experts will do

We begin replacing your dental work by addressing what caused it to fall out in the first place. That may mean we’re removing decay, fixing broken teeth, or counseling you against bruxism. Once your teeth are prepared and healthy again, we replace your filling or crown with a new one.

Preventing future accidents

The key to preventing a filling or crown from coming loose in the future is to practice good oral hygiene and see us for regular checkups and cleaning. You should also:

Avoid grinding and clenching your teeth
Stop chewing on hard objects
Limit sticky foods

These simple habits can keep your dental work in its place for as long as possible.

If you need to have a filling or crown replaced, don’t wait another moment. Call our friendly staff at 718-736-2785 or use our online booking tool to request a consultation today.