What Do I Do After I Get My Dental Crown?

Dental crowns are versatile and effective treatments that can deal with discomfort associated with decay, or repair the tooth after root canal therapy. They’re also quick; most crowns can be fitted and placed within two appointments. However, when you do finally get your dental crown, there’s one more hurdle: recovery. Thankfully, you should be back to feeling better within a few days! Here are some things you can do until then.

Watch For Numbness

In the hours after the crown’s been placed, you’re likely to still be numb from the local anesthetic. While this isn’t that much of an issue, there are some instances of people who accidentally hurt themselves because they can’t feel any pain. You may not even know you’ve burned yourself on hot food or that you’ve bitten down on your cheek until the anesthetic wears off. There’s an even greater risk if you’re also recovering from sedation. To be safe, avoid hot drinks and hard foods for a few hours after the procedure.

Take it Easy

Some patients report a little discomfort after their dental crown procedure. This tenderness should go away after a few days, and until then it can be managed with over-the-counter pain relief. The oral cement used to affix the dental crown may also irritate the gums; most pharmacies carry ointment that you can rub on the affected area.

If the discomfort lasts longer than a week or two, talk to your dentist. In most cases, however, there shouldn’t be any issues after about a week.

Take Care of your Dental Crown

It’s recommended that you avoid any sticky foods for the first 24 hours after your procedure to give the dental cement time to set. After that, you should be able to treat it like you would any other tooth. Avoid hard foods that could damage your teeth, and brush your restoration diligently each day.

Aftercare of a dental crown is easy, so once the anesthetic wears off and the cement sets, you should be just fine. So long as you keep up your dental hygiene, your restoration will serve you well for years to come.

About the Author

Dr. Travis Markle is a restorative dentist who has been practicing for over twenty years. To this day, his favorite part of the job is getting to know his patients. He loves to interact with them one-on-one, to learn who they are as people along with how he can better their smiles. Dr. Markle is a graduate of the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, and since then he has received hundreds of hours of continuing education. If you have any questions about how to take care of your dental crown, he can be reached at his website or by phone at (903) 597-7902.