If you cracked a tooth, your dentist likely suggested a crown to repair it. If this is the case, they made a mold of your teeth and sent the mold to a lab to have the permanent crown made. While waiting for the crown to come back, the dentist put a temporary crown over the tooth to protect it. If the dentist has called you and told you that your permanent crown is ready, below is some information about how the process works so you can better understand it.
Removing the Temporary Crown
The first thing the dentist will do is remove your temporary crown. In most cases this is very easy to do and the dentist simply has to grab the crown and pull it off. If the crown needs a little coaxing, they may offer to give you a shot to numb the area. Once the crown is removed, they will clean the area to remove any leftover cement, as well as any food that may have gotten stuck under the crown.
Putting on the Permanent Crown
The dentist will place the permanent crown over the broken tooth and have you shut your mouth. They will look at your bite to ensure all teeth are hitting correctly. If not, they have to make some adjustments. For example, when you close your mouth you do not want the crown to hit first and the other teeth not to hit at all. This can be very uncomfortable for you and can affect your bite over time.
The doctor will remove the permanent crown and will use a special tool to file down your tooth and put the crown back on. They may have to do this a few times until the crown fits you perfectly.
The doctor will ask you to sit up in the chair while they are checking your bite as the bite while you are lying down is not your normal bite.
Once the permanent crown fits properly, the dentist will use permanent cement to attach it to your tooth. You will not be able to drink or eat anything for the first few hours to give the crown time to set. After a few hours, the dentist will likely ask you to not chew on that side for a certain amount of time and be careful when brushing your teeth.
After this time, you can use this tooth just like your other teeth when it comes to chewing and caring for it with brushing and flossing.
Ask a dentist like those at Pinon Hills Dental to go over this procedure with you in much more detail, if you prefer.
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