Temporary Crown

What is a Temporary Crown? (Your Guide to a Smooth Transition)

After your tooth has been prepared for a crown, and before your permanent restoration is ready, you’ll go home with a Temporary Crown. It’s best to think of this restoration like the spare "donut" tire on a car: it’s an incredibly important placeholder designed to get you through a short period, but it requires a little extra care and isn't meant for the long haul.

Also known as a Provisional Restoration, your temporary crown plays a critical role in the success of your final treatment. While you’re wearing it, it’s working hard behind the scenes.

The Important Job of Your Temporary Crown

• It protects the prepared tooth, which can be sensitive to hot, cold, and pressure.
• It prevents neighboring teeth from shifting into the empty space.
• It provides you with a functional tooth for eating and speaking.
• It helps shape the gum tissue to create a natural frame for your permanent crown.

How to Care For Your Temporary Crown: The Do's and Don'ts

Your temporary crown is attached with a weak, temporary cement on purpose—we need to be able to remove it easily at your next visit. This means you need to be gentle with it for the next couple of weeks.

Foods to Avoid:

• Extremely Sticky Foods: Gummy candies, caramel, taffy, and even chewing gum can grab onto the temporary and pull it off.
• Very Hard Foods: Avoid chewing on ice, hard nuts, or hard candy with your temporary crown, as it can crack or break.
• Tough, Chewy Foods: Things like hard bread crusts or tough meats can put too much pressure on the temporary. Try to chew on the opposite side of your mouth when possible.

Brushing and Flossing (This is Critical!):

Continue to brush the area gently. When you floss, you must change your technique slightly to avoid dislodging the crown:

1. Slide the floss down between the teeth normally.
2. To remove it, gently pull the floss out from the side.
3. DO NOT lift the floss back up, as this can catch the edge of the temporary crown and pop it off.

What to Do if Your Temporary Comes Loose (Don't Panic!)

It happens sometimes. If your temporary crown comes off, please call our office right away. It's important to protect the underlying tooth. If you can, you can often gently slide the crown back into place. A small dab of toothpaste or temporary cement from a pharmacy (like Dentemp) can help hold it until you can see us.

Here's what we want you to remember:

Your temporary crown is a critical placeholder that protects your tooth while your permanent restoration is being crafted. Treating it with care for a short time is the best way to ensure a smooth, comfortable transition to your final crown.

Every patient's situation is unique.

The fit and feel of your temporary gives us important clues for designing your permanent crown. If you feel your bite is off or have any concerns while wearing your temporary, please let us know, as this feedback helps us create a perfect final result for you.

Have questions about the crown process?

Or are you looking forward to your final, permanent restoration? We're here to give you honest, personalized answers. Schedule a consultation at our Woodland Hills practice – let's talk about what's really best for your smile.