What causes a temporary dental bridge, crown or veneer to become loose?
These restorations are usually cemented using a temporary cement or temporarily bonded onto the underlying tooth. They will therefore become loose if there is a failure in the temporary cement or bond used to attach it onto the tooth:
Failure of the temporary cement or bond
The temporary cement or bond can fail due to a difficulty in attaching to the underlying tooth either as a result of a lack of tooth structure or a tooth substance that is not conducive to the type of temporary cement or bond being used.
Temporary cements and bonds are designed so that the dentist can remove the temporary restoration easily without damaging the underlying tooth. This means that the ‘stick’ onto the underlying tooth is much weaker than with a permanent cement or bond. Unfortunately, this weakness, often combined with a heavy bite or grinding habit, means that temporary restorations can loosen and fall out.
What are the risks of not seeing a dentist as soon as possible?
In addition to the obvious cosmetic issues that can arise when a temporary dental bridge, crown or veneer falls out, there are also potentially consequences of leaving the temporary restoration off the tooth or teeth:
Even if the tooth is not painful initially, the underlying tooth may be damaged by exposure to stimuli within the mouth, resulting in damage to the nerve within the tooth and potentially the development of a dental abscess. This can mean a root canal treatment being needed, or in the worst case scenario, a tooth extraction.
There is also a risk that if the temporary restoration is left too long before being re-attached, the final restoration may not fit properly due to movement of teeth. This can mean a new dental bridge, crown or veneer being needed.
How can the247dentist help with my broken or loose dental bridge, crown or veneer?
It is usually advisable to contact the dentist as soon as possible once you detect the loosening of a temporary dental bridge, crown or veneer in order that the temporary restoration can be repaired, re-made or re-fixed.
Should your dentist not be able to see you, the247dentist will be able to repair, re-make or re-fix the temporary restoration to give you peace of mind whilst your permanent restoration is being made.