You May Experience Some Discomfort as the Anesthesia Wears OffFreshly crowned teeth are often sensitive immediately following the crowning procedure. As the anesthesia wears off, you might feel some pain or discomfort in the crowned tooth or teeth. If the tooth or teeth retain their nerve endings, they might become sensitive to heat and cold. Your dentist will probably recommend using a toothpaste intended for sensitive teeth.
If your crown hurts when you bite down, that means it's been fitted improperly. Return to your dentist to have the crown refitted.
Crowns Can Come Loose, Chip or Fall OffSometimes, dental crowns come loose. This occurs when the dental cement used to affix them to your teeth washes away. If your crown feels loose, see your dentist to have it repaired. You don't want to leave a loose crown in your mouth, because bacteria can easily grow under the crown, and this can lead to severe tooth decay and infection.
Crowns chip, especially crowns made of porcelain. Small chips in your dental crowns can be easily repaired in the dentist's office. He'll simply patch the chip with a composite resin. However, if the chip is large, you'll need a whole new crown.
From time to time, crowns fall off. This can occur if the crown was fitted improperly, or if your dentist didn't use enough dental cement, or even if your crown has come loose and you didn't have it repaired in time. If your crown falls off, clean it and the tooth. You can use the dental adhesive sold in drug stores to temporarily re-attach your crown, but you should contact your dentist for further instructions as soon as possible. You'll need to make an appointment to have the crown permanently re-attached or repaired.