What to Do If You Have a Loose Dental Crown

Dental crowns are beautiful, strong, and designed to last up to 15 years with diligent care. However, they can loosen for several reasons, such as decay in the underlying tooth and weakened dental cement.

A loose crown always needs prompt attention from the Fremaux Dental Care team, but it’s not always an emergency. Here, you’ll learn when to seek emergency dentistry and the steps to take if you have a loose crown.

Signs your loose crown is a dental emergency

A loose crown needs dental care to restore a strong, functioning tooth, but it’s not always an emergency.

Seek emergency dentistry when:

• You have moderate to severe pain or tooth sensitivity
• Your gums are red, swollen, or bleeding
• The crown is so loose it’s likely to fall out

Losing the crown may also require an emergency appointment. 

4 steps to take for a loose crown

We recommend taking these four steps should your crown loosen:

1. Immediately call the office

If your crown feels loose, seek dental care as quickly as possible. Here’s why:

Prevent or stop pain

A loose crown can’t fully protect the underlying tooth, potentially resulting in discomfort and pain.

Avoid decay

If your crown is loose, there’s enough space for bacteria and food particles to get under the crown, causing sensitivity and decay in the tooth.  

Dodge further damage

A loose crown may fall off, potentially damaging the tooth and the prosthetic crown. Or, you may accidentally swallow the crown or lose it. These variables affect how we repair the problem, possibly requiring more work than replacing the original crown.

2. Save the crown if it falls off

You may be surprised by a crown that falls, but try to preserve it. Remove it with your fingers or spit it into a napkin if it falls out while eating. Don’t spit into a sink (it may go down the drain) or let it fall to the floor.

After retrieving the crown, rinse it off and check if it’s intact or has a crack, chip, or other damage.

If the crown is in good shape, try cleaning it and placing it over the tooth until your dental appointment. You can use a small amount of dental adhesive to hold the crown in place temporarily.

Saving the crown may lower the cost of repairing the tooth. We can usually reattach the same crown if it’s in good shape.

3. Adjust your diet

Making the following dietary changes will reduce pressure on the loose crown and may prevent it from falling off:

• Avoid foods that are sticky or tough to chew (choose soft foods)
• Don't drink or eat anything hot, cold, or sweet 
• Don’t chew or bite hard items, such as nuts, raw vegetables, ice, and hard candy
• Bite or chew using teeth away from the crown

These restrictions may also help you avoid tooth sensitivity and pain.

4. Don’t wiggle the crown

When you first notice the problem, gently wiggle the crown with your fingers to test how loose it is. Otherwise, try not to push against it with your tongue or wiggle it too often with your fingers. Pushing the tooth increases the risk of it falling out.

Call us for help with a loose crown

Our Fremaux Dental Care team is here to answer questions and provide exceptional care for dental crowns. Call or connect online if you need an appointment to repair a loose crown.