Emergency
My filling or crown fell out — what now?
It's usually not an emergency, though the tooth may feel sensitive. Keep any crown, cover the gap with pharmacy temporary dental cement (never glue), chew on the other side, and book in with us soon.
What to do in the moment
First, don't panic — a lost filling or crown rarely counts as a true emergency, even if the tooth suddenly feels sensitive to hot, cold or sweet. If a crown has come off in one piece, hang onto it; we can often clean it up and cement it straight back, which saves you time and money.
To protect the exposed tooth in the meantime, you can cover the gap with a little temporary dental cement from the pharmacy. Please don't reach for household glue — it isn't safe in the mouth and can make repairs much harder for us later. Chew on the other side, keep the area clean, and go easy on anything hard or sticky.
Why it's still worth booking in soon
A filling or crown is there for a reason: it's sealing and supporting a tooth that's already been repaired once. With it gone, that tooth is more vulnerable to decay and to breaking, so the sooner we replace or re-cement it, the more of your natural tooth we keep — very much our conservative instinct.
Give the practice a ring and we'll get you booked in. If there's sharp pain, swelling, or a jagged edge cutting your tongue or cheek, mention it and we'll see you sooner rather than later.
Common questions
Is a lost filling or crown an emergency?
Usually not, though the tooth may turn sensitive. Cover the gap with pharmacy temporary cement, keep the crown if it came off whole, and book in soon before decay or a fracture sets in.
Can I glue my crown back on myself?
Never use household glue — it's unsafe in the mouth and complicates proper repair. Pharmacy temporary dental cement is fine as a short-term fix, then let us re-cement it properly.