Temporary Crowns Are Made from a Hard Plastic to Protect a Tooth Awaiting a New Crown

A dental crown is often used by Dr. Tina Foss to repair a tooth affected by tooth decay, damaged enamel or a significant cosmetic imperfection. This involves two distinct stages of treatment. During the first step, the entire tooth enamel layer is extracted to create an abutment from the dentin layer that enrobes the pulp and root of the tooth.

An impression is then taken and sent to our off-site dental lab to serve as a guide while the technicians craft your new crown from porcelain, gold or an alloy of base metals. While you await the completion of your crown, your dentist will protect the abutment with a hard, plastic cap, called a temporary crown.

It’s important to remember that the temporary crown does not effectively restore the tooth’s ability to bite, grind or chew. If it’s loosened or damaged or if it falls out, it could lead to serious complications.

The suction from eating sticky foods and chewing gum can potentially pull the temporary crown loose. Biting down on hard foods, crunching on ice or chewing on foreign objects could possibly crack the biting surface of the temporary crown and damage the abutment.

Maintaining good oral health will help the final crown seat comfortably with your gums. The temporary crown will still need to be brushed and flossed as part of your routine oral hygiene routine. Waxed dental floss can help work the strand into place easily. This minimizes the chances of injuring your gums by forcing the strand into place.

If you have any questions or concerns about your temporary crown in Mesquite, Texas, you should call (972) 619-7763 to speak to one of the specialists at North Mesquite Dental.