Symptoms · lost filling or crown
My filling or crown has come out. What should I do?
A filling or crown that has come out is not usually an emergency, but the tooth underneath is exposed and can break or decay quickly, so book within a few days. Keep the crown, chew on the other side, and call Y3 Smiles Dental in Broadmeadows on (03) 9022 4442. Pain, swelling or a sharp edge should be seen sooner.
How urgent is a lost filling or crown?
Go to hospital or call 000
- Swelling that is spreading towards your eye, under your jaw or down your neck
- Trouble breathing or swallowing
- Uncontrolled bleeding after an injury that knocked the restoration out
Call us today
- Throbbing pain, or pain that keeps you awake
- A sharp edge cutting your tongue or cheek
- Swelling or a bad taste coming from the tooth
- A crown that came out with a piece of tooth attached to it
- The tooth was root treated and is now open
Book the next available time
- A small filling gone, with no pain and no sharp edge
- A crown that came off cleanly and the tooth underneath feels normal
- Mild sensitivity to cold or sweet things
What should you do today?
- Keep the crown. Rinse it, dry it and put it in a small container. Bring it with you, because it can often go straight back on.
- Leave the tooth alone. Chew on the other side and keep your tongue off it.
- Keep it clean. Brush gently around the tooth and rinse with warm salty water after meals. An empty cavity traps food.
- Cover a sharp edge with sugar-free chewing gum or dental wax from a pharmacy until we see you.
- Protect the hole with a temporary dental repair material from a pharmacy if it is uncomfortable, following the packet directions.
- Avoid extremes. Very hot, very cold and sugary food and drink will find an exposed tooth quickly.
What not to do: no household glue, no superglue, and do not try to file or trim the tooth. Those turn a small repair into a big one.
Why does it matter if it does not hurt?
The restoration was doing two jobs: sealing the tooth and holding it together. Without it, the inner layer of the tooth is exposed. That layer is softer than enamel and decays faster, and bacteria now have a direct route towards the nerve.
The tooth is also weaker. A tooth that has lost a large filling or a crown has thin walls left standing, and those walls break under ordinary chewing, often below the gum where the tooth cannot be saved. A tooth that could have been re-cemented in one short visit becomes a root canal treatment and a new crown, or an extraction, in a matter of weeks. That is the cost of waiting, and it is why we would rather see you while the tooth is still quiet.
What if the tooth is sensitive now?
Sensitivity to cold, air or sweet things is common once a restoration is gone, because the exposed layer of the tooth carries sensation straight to the nerve. Short, sharp sensitivity that stops as soon as the cold goes is usually irritation, not damage.
Pain that lingers after the cold has gone, throbs on its own, or wakes you at night is a different signal. It suggests the nerve is inflamed, which is worth telling us when you call. Our page on sensitive teeth explains the difference, and toothache covers pain that has already started.
How does a dentist fix it?
At Y3 Smiles Dental the dentist checks how much sound tooth is left, whether decay has got underneath, and whether the nerve is involved, usually with an x-ray. Then they explain the options:
- Re-cementing the crown, when the crown is intact and the tooth underneath is sound.
- A new filling to rebuild the tooth where a filling has come out.
- A new crown, if the old one is damaged or the tooth has changed shape underneath.
- Root canal treatment first, if decay or a crack has reached the nerve.
If you are in pain now, we can usually settle the tooth on the day and plan the permanent repair. See how our emergency dentistry works, or read what root canal treatment costs if the nerve is involved.
Other questions people ask
Can I glue my crown back on myself?
No. Household and superglue are not safe in the mouth, and they set in a way that stops the crown seating properly, which can turn a simple re-cement into a new crown. Keep it in a container and bring it in.
Can a crown be put back on?
Often, yes, if the crown is undamaged and enough sound tooth is left underneath. Your dentist will check both before re-cementing it.
Why did it come out in the first place?
Usually because something changed underneath: decay at the edge, a crack in the remaining tooth, or the cement breaking down over the years. Sticky food often gets the blame, but it is generally the last straw rather than the cause.
Is a temporary filling kit from the pharmacy safe to use?
A temporary dental repair material from a pharmacy can protect the tooth for a few days, and it is better than leaving a hole open. It is not a repair, and it should not delay the appointment.
The tooth does not hurt at all. Do I still need to come in?
Yes. A tooth with no filling in it is weaker and open to bacteria, and decay under a lost crown often causes no pain until it reaches the nerve. The longer it is left, the bigger the repair tends to be.
What if I swallowed it?
It happens, and it usually passes without trouble. Let us know when you call so we can plan for a new restoration rather than re-cementing the old one.