Frequently Asked Questions – Crown and Bridge

You can expect that your Crown and Bridge procedures will take two visits to complete.

First appointment: At the first appointment, which is the longer of the two, your tooth will be prepared for the crown/bridge. The dentist will take an impression or scan of your mouth and make a temporary crown for you which will be replaced by the permanent restoration at your next visit.
Following this appointment, it is not unusual to feel tenderness near the gums. If required, take Paracetamol and Ibuprofen and rinse with salt water.

If the tooth is still vital (has not had Root Canal Treatment) the tooth can be sensitive, please note, this is only expected while the temporary crown is in your mouth. If you have sensitivity you can brush with a sensitive toothpaste and/or rub some of the paste around the tooth without rinsing the excess away.

Should you experience extreme sensitivity, throbbing or tenderness upon eating/biting on the tooth, please contact the practice and we will advise you on further instructions after consulting with your dentist.

Caring for your temporary crown: Due to the temporary nature of the crown, it is important to avoid chewing hard and sticky foods on the crown. This could result in the crown dislodging or cracking. If the crown happens to come out, please contact us and we will arrange for you to attend the practice to have it cemented back in place.

For the final appointment to go as smoothly as possible, it is imperative that you maintain your oral hygiene during the temporary crown phase. When flossing around the crown you will need to floss down as per usual, then upon removal let go of the floss at one end sliding it out of the space between your tooth and the temporary crown. This will minimise the chance of the temporary crown dislodging during this interim period.

Second appointment: In most instances during this appointment, you will have local anaesthetic placed in the area (unless your tooth has been Root Canal Treated). Your temporary crown will be removed and steps will be taken to cement the permanent crown.

Most types of cements we use have two stages of setting. Once you leave our practice the cement is nearly set, however, the remaining setting will occur over the next 24 hours. It is important in that time, you avoid eating sticky and hard food.

You may experience some tenderness in the area for a couple of days. It could also take up to two days to adjust to the new shape of the crown and how it feels in your bite. If after a few days, the crown feels high in your bite please contact the practice for assistance.

After your crown is fitted, if you notice your floss catching when cleaning around your crown, this may indicate some residual cement.