Storing the crown at home
Choose a small lidded pot or case kept away from children and pets. Don't clear out the inside or pull a post, and don't fix it with glue from the shed; it is examined together with the tooth.
Restorative Dentistry
Lost Dental Crown Treatment in Erin
Until your appointment, everyday life carries on: meals, brushing, sleep. For households in Erin and Hillsburgh, our lost dental crown treatment starts with practical home advice, then an exam of the bare tooth and any recovered crown to plan proper cover.
Life with a bare tooth, for nowArrange care for the bare tooth
Supper, toothbrush, pillow: what changes?
Not much, if you're careful. Chew on the other side, keep the area clean, and store the crown out of harm's way. The tooth you're left with was shaped long ago to hold that cap, so expect it to look smaller and possibly darker. Its looks won't tell you whether it's healthy, and that's what the exam is for.
A crown comes off for a reason: tired cement, a fit that has drifted, or a tooth or core weakened by decay or a crack. In some cases the same crown can go back on after checks. In others, the tooth needs attention first, or a fresh crown is the more dependable choice. Keep the old one, even in pieces.
Calling from Erin, mention when the crown came off, whether you have it, and how the tooth has felt at meals and overnight. Tell us about any bump to the mouth or earlier root canal. Rural households often like to group appointments, so if someone else at home is due a visit, ask whether they can be booked close together.
Around the house tonight
Keep the crown, watch the tooth, call us.
There's no need to diagnose anything. Tell us what happened, put aside what came out, and note how the tooth reacts to food, drink, and brushing.
Missing or in bits
An assessment works without the crown too. Mention whether it broke during a meal or after a fall, and keep any fragments you find while tidying up, since even small pieces can show what gave way.
A tooth that reacts at mealtimes
Notice what triggers the twinge, how long it lasts, and whether it's getting worse. Pain, swelling, or a sore gum may mean you should be seen sooner. Don't judge the tooth by its colour.
Call us after a lost crown, even if it feels fine. Any choking, breathing difficulty, or worry that the crown went into the airway calls for urgent medical help straight away.
What you'll know after the exam
How strong is the tooth, really?
The dentist checks how much sound tooth is left, how the crown has held up, and whether there are signs of decay, a crack, or something deeper. With that, it's clear whether to recement your crown, make a new one, or treat the tooth in another way before covering it. Imaging may help with the parts of the tooth that can't be seen directly.
You'll also understand what is temporary and what is final. If further treatment or a lab-made crown is planned, talk about what will cover the tooth until then and which everyday habits that cover won't tolerate.
Patient information: NHS Wales — advice after losing a filling or crown
A fair test of the old crown
Intact doesn't mean ready. The dentist checks the seat and fit on the tooth and whether the foundation can support it once more.
Spotting a hidden fracture
Tooth or core material sometimes comes away inside the crown. Catching that prevents a quick recementation that wouldn't solve the real problem.
A schedule that suits home life
Go over the visits likely to be needed, interim protection, appearance, and the estimate. If more information is required first, ask what it is and how to care for the tooth until it's in hand.
Once you're here
Four parts to the visit
Bring the crown or pieces and whatever you know about past work on the tooth. If you're nervous, or something is uncomfortable, tell the team; they'll explain what they're checking and why.
Your story and a careful look
You explain how the crown came off and how home life has been since. Then the tooth, gums, bite, and symptoms are checked, with an x-ray suggested if it would clarify things.
Crown meets tooth
If you brought it, the crown is tried against the tooth and inspected. A post, fracture, decay, or stuck material is considered before any talk of reuse.
A decision about cover
Findings, choices, and costs are talked through. Your crown might be recemented during the appointment, or the tooth may be protected for now until replacement or extra care is ready.
Bite check and next steps
After treatment, fit and bite are confirmed. Find out whether the cover is temporary, how to treat it day to day, and what's left to do.
Daily routine while you wait
Simple habits keep the tooth safe.
Ask for instructions that match your symptoms and treatment stage. Implant crowns, temporaries, and crowns on natural teeth can need different care.
Meals that are kind to it
Soups, eggs, pasta, and soft vegetables are easier than toffee, nuts, or crusty bread. Chew on the other side, and avoid very hot or cold drinks if they cause a twinge rather than testing the tooth.
Brushing and bedtime
Brush gently near the tooth as far as is comfortable, and ask for advice if it's painful. Don't poke or scrape it or cover it with household products, and never sleep with the crown loosely placed.
Taking care of a temporary
If you head home with interim cover, follow the instructions that come with it and keep the appointment that completes the work. A temporary can feel so natural that it's easy to forget, but comfortable doesn't mean finished, and the tooth still needs its planned restoration.
Everyday questions from Erin(905) 876-4488
Living with it until your visit
A missing crown can make ordinary things feel uncertain. The examination tells you whether the tooth simply needs covering again or needs more extensive care.
What foods are safest to eat with a crown missing?
Soft, lukewarm foods are easiest: soups, yogurt, eggs, pasta, cooked vegetables. Avoid sticky, hard, or chewy items and anything very hot or cold if the tooth is sensitive. Chew on the other side when you can.
Should I brush the exposed tooth or leave it alone?
Keep brushing gently, with a soft brush, as comfort allows. Keeping it clean helps protect the tooth and gum. If brushing is painful, call for advice instead of skipping it altogether.
Can my child or dog get hold of the crown?
They can, and a crown is small enough to be a choking hazard for a toddler or a pet. Store it in a closed container up high or in a drawer, tell others in the house what it is, and bring it to your appointment.
Is mouthwash safe to use around the bare tooth?
A gentle rinse is usually fine, but alcohol-based products may sting a sensitive tooth. Warm salt water is an option some people find soothing. Ask the team if you’re unsure.
Can we book appointments for more than one family member together?
Ask when you call. The team can look at what’s available and try to place visits near each other, which helps when the trip in takes planning. The lost crown assessment may need to come first, depending on symptoms, so mention any pain or swelling.
The tooth under my crown had a root canal. Why doesn't it hurt?
With the nerve previously treated, there may be little sensation. That doesn’t mean the tooth is safe uncovered. It still needs protecting and checking for cracks or decay. Book an assessment even if it’s comfortable, and bring any treatment history you have.
Crown care for Erin households
We'll help you get back to normal meals.
Reach our Bronte Street practice after a crown comes away or goes missing. We'll examine the tooth, check any crown you saved, and explain how to protect it now and restore it for the long term.
Store the crown or fragments away from little hands and paws, and phone us if pain, swelling, or a missing piece is a concern.
Visit Milton Dental ClinicUnit 1, 342 Bronte St. S, Milton, ON L9T 5B7Get directions
Clinic hours
- Monday–Thursday
- 11am–7pm
- Friday–Sunday
- By appointment only
Areas we serve
- Milton
- Oakville
- Mississauga
- Georgetown
- Halton Hills
- Acton
- Campbellville
- Brampton
- Burlington
- Puslinch
- Rockwood
- Erin
- Caledon
- Etobicoke
- Old Milton
- Bronte Meadows
- Timberlea
- Dorset Park
- Dempsey
- Clarke
- Beaty
- Coates
- Harrison
- Scott
- Willmott
- Ford
- Bowes
- Cobden
- Walker
- Mountain View
- Milton Heights
- Hawthorne Village
- Valley View
- Fallingbrook
- Nassagaweya
- Trafalgar
- Esquesing
- Nelson
- Brookville
- Moffat
- Glen Williams
- Norval
- Limehouse
- Stewarttown
- Ashgrove
- Hornby
- Silver Creek
- Speyside
- Scotch Block
- North Oakville
- River Oaks
- Glen Abbey
- West Oak Trails
- Palermo
- Bronte Creek
- College Park
- Joshua Creek
- Uptown Core
- Preserve
- Iroquois Ridge
- Lisgar
- Meadowvale
- Meadowvale Village
- Churchill Meadows
- Erin Mills
- Central Erin Mills
- Streetsville
- East Credit
- Creditview
- Heartland
- Sheridan
- Mount Pleasant
- Credit Valley
- Huttonville
- Churchville
- Springbrook
- Northwest Brampton
- Bram West
- Fletcher's Meadow
- Fletcher's Creek South
- Alton Village
- Orchard
- Millcroft
- Headon Forest
- Tansley
- Brant Hills
- Tyandaga
- Kilbride
- Lowville
- Aberfoyle
- Morriston
- Arkell
- Hillsburgh
- Freelton
- Carlisle
- Waterdown
- Flamborough
- Mountsberg
