I have a temporary crown on my bottom right second molar. I’ve had problems with the temporary crown and am concerned that the permanent one won’t be much different. I’m scheduled to get the final crown in the first week of April. However, the temporary crown fell off two days after I got it. My dentist placed it back, but it fell off that evening, and I had to return the next day. My dentist made a new temporary crown, but a piece fell off over the weekend, so I returned for another one the following Tuesday. My dentist took a new impression of my tooth at the dental lab’s request. I’m nervous about the final crown and wondering if I should cancel it. – Thank you. Alejandro from Houston

Alejandro,

We are concerned about a dentist who could not properly take your impressions or bond a temporary crown. Also, the new temporary crown broke. The history of your temporary crown suggests that you will also have problems with your final crown.

Why Does a Temporary Crown Fall Off?

A temporary crown may fall off if a dentist tapers the circumference of your tooth aggressively or shortens it too much. In either case, it would be challenging for the tooth to retain the temporary crown. We are concerned that your dentist overprepared your tooth. Although a temporary crown is removable and replaced with the final crown, it should not repeatedly fall off.

The dental lab requests a new impression, which further increases our concerns. However, it is not unusual for a dentist to need another impression if the first gets contaminated with fluids that seep around a tooth. In that case, a dentist would catch the mistake when examining the impression and retake it. The combination of your dentist’s mistakes is concerning.

Can You Switch Dentists in the Middle of Getting a New Crown?

You can switch dentists while getting a new crown, especially when there are multiple problems with getting your temporary crown right. Your dentist agreed to give you a crown that fits and functions well. Since your dentist has not proven that he can give you a functional crown, he has an ethical obligation to assist with your transfer to another dentist for your final crown and refund you for the payments you’ve made.

A dental crown that dislodges unexpectedly can aspirate into your lungs, or you could swallow it. Why risk the inconvenience when you have warning signs with a temporary crown that won’t stay on?

Schedule a second opinion with a dentist with advanced cosmetic dentistry training and experience.

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