Lost Dental Crown What to Do Framingham

April 20, 2022

Dental crowns are caps that cover the entire visible part of a tooth. They are mostly used when a tooth is severely damaged or decayed and can’t be treated with a dental filling. Dental crowns can also complete the look of a tooth after a root canal or if it has significant cosmetic flaws. Though they often last around 15 years, these restorations aren’t impervious to damage or loss. If one of yours falls out, follow these three steps to handle a lost dental crown until your dentist can fix it for you.

Step #1: Contact Your Dentist

The first thing you should do if one of your dental crowns falls out is to contact your dentist. Explain what happened in detail. They’ll be able to help you make an appointment to come in and have your lost dental crown fixed. They will also walk you through what to do next as well as ways to keep yourself comfortable while you wait for your appointment.

Step #2: Locate the Crown

Look for the crown and place it in a plastic sandwich bag for safekeeping. Be sure to take it with you to your appointment. Your dentist may be able to reattach it. If you aren’t able to find it or the crown can’t be reused, they will have a new one made.

Step #3: Inspect Your Mouth

See if there are any pieces of the crown still stuck where it used to be. Additionally, try to determine if the underlying tooth is broken, if any sharp edges are poking out, or if you’re in serious pain. This information will allow your dentist to determine if your situation warrants emergency treatment.

Step #4: Mitigate Discomfort and Prevent Damage

Along with the tips your dentist gave you during

Toothpaste For Veneers | Framingham Dentist

After years of being unhappy with your teeth, you’ve finally received a beautiful new smile! Your porcelain veneers look dazzling and fantastic; but now, you’re wondering what you need to do to keep them that way. While brushing and flossing daily are crucial, selecting the correct toothpaste for your veneers is equally important—so which one is right for your brand-new pearly whites?

Can Toothpaste Help My Veneers?

Just because your veneers look perfect now does not mean they will look perfect in the future—good oral hygiene is integral to preserving their integrity, and your toothpaste plays a vital role. Between all the available toothpastes out there, there are many that can help both your natural teeth as well as your veneers. You just have to know what to look for.

Which Toothpaste Should I Use on My Veneers?

Although there isn’t a specialty toothpaste that you need to hunt down to use on your veneers, there are sure things you do want to look for, as certain toothpastes can damage them. You need a toothpaste that is gentle and effective, but you also need to be mindful of its contents. Most products have their ingredients listed on their packaging, so it never hurts to double-check.

Some toothpastes contain abrasive agents, such as baking soda, which help to remove plaque and polish your teeth. However, these abrasive agents can also scratch the surface of your veneers, which dulls the shine and compromises the texture.

Additionally, some toothpastes contain whitening agents such as hydrogen peroxide. While it might seem like a good idea to use whitening toothpaste, especially if you have untreated, stained teeth surrounding your veneers, it often isn’t—these types of whitening agents can damage the very structure of your them! Be mindful of the contents of whichever toothpaste you’re considering.

Why do Teeth Stain? – Framingham Premier Dental Blog

Man's smile compared with tooth color chartMany patients want to brighten their smiles, and they devote nearly countless hours and dollars to using over the counter teeth whitening options. Unfortunately, unless you understand the underlying causes of your tooth staining, you may not be using the most effective smile brightening products. This is where a professional cosmetic dentist comes into play. When you partner with a cosmetic dentist, you will get the care you need to predictably achieve a smile up to ten shades brighter. In this post, we’ll review some of the most common causes of tooth staining, and how a cosmetic dentist can help you brighten your smile with professional teeth whitening and other treatment options to address your unique dental staining.

Habitual Staining

There are some daily habits that lead to dental discoloration. The most common habitual staining comes from poor oral hygiene, tobacco use, and consuming large quantities of darkly colored foods and drinks. For staining caused by these habitual behaviors, a professional in-office or take-home teeth whitening plan is usually effective in delivering the flawless, bright white smile you deserve. However, you will need to make some changes to these habits to ensure you can maintain your brighter smile. Our team will be happy to partner with you to review the habits that lead to your dental discoloration and help you plan to avoid further dental staining.

Developmental Staining

Some stains occur when teeth are developing, and they may not be treatable with traditional teeth whitening options. Some forms of developmental staining include:

  • Fluorosis – due to overconsumption of fluoride during dental development
  • Enamel hypoplasia – thinning enamel that reveals the yellow dentin layers of teeth
  • Tetracycline – medications containing tetracycline can cause dark stains or banding on teeth when taken during dental development
  • Genetics – some patients simply have darker