A Potentially Painful Problem: When a Lost Dental Crown Is an Emergency
Posted on: 9 March 2021
A swallowed dental crown might not seem like an emergency. The crown has entered your digestive system, and while it will reappear, you won't want it anywhere near your mouth once this has happened. Still, what's the big deal? The crown won't harm your body as it passes through, and you can get a new one fitted at your earliest convenience. Hardly an emergency, is it? In many cases, a lost dental crown can be dealt with when you're able to (although sooner is obviously better). But in some cases, you're going to need an emergency dentist.
A Tormented Tooth
A lost dental crown can require emergency treatment for one specific reason, namely whether or not it hurts. Any pain or discomfort will be provoked by eating or drinking, or it might be a continual presence until such time as you have the problem solved. There can also be a secondary cause of any pain, such as an undiagnosed infection. This could have caused the tooth to further deteriorate beneath the crown, which could have been one of the reasons why the crown loosened. In any case, when your lost crown has resulted in pain, treat the issue as an emergency.
Prompt Pain Relief
What can an emergency dentist actually do for your problem? Quite a lot, actually. You will be given pain relief as a matter of priority, which will solve the immediate issue. Naturally, this will only be a temporary solution, although fixing the issue that caused the pain will result in a permanent solution. But how can a dentist quickly correct such an issue?
An In-Depth Inspection
In addition to pain relief, the reason why the crown has been lost must be determined. Any infection or further loss of the tooth's structure must be addressed, but it's often just a matter of putting the crown back into place. This doesn't take as long as you might expect. Your dentist can attach a temporary crown, covering any exposed nerves and allowing you to eat and drink with confidence.
A Speedy Solution
This temporary crown will be replaced as soon as a replacement crown has been fabricated and is ready to be fitted. In some cases (and it depends on whether the dentist offers the service), a new crown can be made while you wait. This instant solution is provided by CAM (computer-aided-manufacturing) technology and means that the replacement crown is made onsite using 3D printing. If this is an option, a temporary dental crown will not generally be necessary.
To sum up — a lost dental crown can be an emergency when it immediately results in pain, although this won't always be the case. Emergency treatment is available, whether this is a temporary crown or one that can be made while you wait.
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