Serious tooth decay and damage cannot be treated with traditional fillings. Dental crowns are the ideal treatment for major tooth problems. These caps help protect underlying tooth structure and allow you to bite and chew with ease once more.
Dr. Timothy Messer and the team at his Memphis, TN dental practice would like to go over tooth sensitivity. This is a common side effect after getting a crown placed. Thankfully it’s only and can be managed temporary. The team at Southwind Dental Care would like to offer advice and insight.
We should first provide a brief overview of how a dental crown is placed. That will give you an idea of why tooth sensitivity is common among patients.
A dental crown is a cap that is placed over a damaged or decayed tooth. In order to fully accommodate the crown, the tooth enamel must be prepped. This process removes unsound enamel and exposes some of the porous, underlying dentin layer of the tooth.
Tooth sensitivity is the result of the loss of the enamel, the exposure of the dentin, and your tooth getting accustomed to having the crown placed as a cap.
Whenever you get a restoration or a dental appliance, an adjustment period is a given. Keep that in mind as you have a new crown in place. For a week or so, the crown will feel sensitive to temperature and pressure. Biting and chewing might feel weird or lead to some soreness.
Thankfully you have a few ways of dealing with this discomfort when it occurs.
We often tell our Memphis dental crown patients to briefly adjust their diet to prevent tooth sensitivity and pain. That includes the following these simple suggestions:
Patients will notice an improvement in sensitivity from day to day, and be able to slowly incorporate regular foods into their diet when they feel ready.
When it comes to cleaning dental crowns, it’s important that you brush and floss normally. Brush at least twice every day and floss at least once a day. Be sure to brush with a toothbrush with soft bristles, and use a toothpaste for sensitive teeth. When flossing, be careful around the crown and avoid pulling too hard to prevent dislodging the restoration.
After getting a crown placed, patients will have a few follow-up visits. These visits will be to ensure the crowns are set properly and there are no serious side effects. Be sure to attend all of these follow-up visits as scheduled.
If tooth sensitivity persists or gets worse, be sure to contact the practice as soon as possible. This could be the sign of a complication that requires immediate attention and care.
For more information about dental crowns and how they can benefit you, be sure to contact a skilled cosmetic and restorative dentist. The team at Southwind Dental Care can be reached in Memphis at (901) 751-1260.
I have been to several dentists in the Memphis Area and I have finally found THE ONE!! Dr. Messer is the best dentist I have ever been to. I have complete confidence in any procedure that he performs and I can't imagine ever going to any other dentist.