I had a tooth that had a root canal. My dentist put a cap on it called a porcelain crown. It fell off today. Do I have to get it put back on, or can I just leave it?

Brad- San Jose, TX

Brad,

Whenever a crown falls off a tooth, I would see an emergency dentist right away. For a back tooth, it can be more urgent, because the surrounding teeth will start to shift, and it may only take a few days before the crown won’t fit any more, because of the tipping and shifting of the teeth.

The front teeth won’t shift so much or so quickly, but the tooth will be very vulnerable to decay until it is covered. A crown preparation removes most or all of the enamel of your tooth, leaving the softer dentin exposed. This dentin can decay very quickly and could ruin your tooth. Since it has had a root canal treatment, there is no feeling left in the tooth, otherwise you might be experiencing pain. This can lull you into thinking nothing is wrong while your tooth is weakened.

When a crown falls off, it is usually a very simple and short procedure to simply re-cement the original crown. If you wait, it can become more complicated quickly.

Link: Read more about porcelain crowns.

This blog is brought to you by Tulsa cosmetic dentist Dr. Jerome Cha.