What Should I Do If My Temporary Crown Falls Off?
Quick answer: If your temporary crown falls off, save it, avoid chewing on that side, and call your dentist. Do not force it back onto the tooth or use household glue.
What to do now
- Find the temporary crown and place it in a clean container.
- Rinse your mouth and the crown gently with lukewarm water.
- Keep the tooth clean and chew on the opposite side.
- Call your dental office for instructions.
This guide is specifically for a provisional crown placed while a permanent crown is being made. If a permanent crown or filling came out, read What to Do If You Lose a Filling or Crown. If the temporary came off with severe pain or swelling, contact an emergency dentist.
Why Do Temporary Crowns Fall Off?
A temporary crown protects a prepared tooth while the dental laboratory makes the permanent restoration. Dentists use provisional cement so they can remove the temporary at the final visit. As a result, it does not have the same retention as the finished crown.
Sticky foods, hard foods, chewing gum, a heavy bite, or floss pulled upward can loosen a temporary. In addition, the shape of the prepared tooth and the fit of the provisional restoration can affect how securely it stays in place.
What we check first in our office: We look inside the temporary and examine the tooth before simply putting it back. An intact provisional crown is different from one that contains a piece of tooth, filling material, or the buildup beneath the crown.
What Should I Do If My Temporary Crown Falls Off?
Step 1: Find and Save the Temporary Crown
Place the temporary crown in a clean container or bag. Bring it to the dental visit because the dentist may be able to reuse it. Do not try to reshape it or remove material with a sharp object.
Step 2: Rinse Gently
Rinse your mouth and the crown with lukewarm water. Brush the surrounding teeth gently, but do not scrape the prepared tooth or dig at cement with a tool. The uncovered tooth may be sensitive.
Step 3: Call Your Dentist
Tell the office when the crown came off, whether it is intact, and whether you have pain, swelling, or a broken piece of tooth. The dental team can tell you whether to come in promptly or how to protect the area until your appointment.
Step 4: Protect the Tooth
Chew on the opposite side and avoid sticky, hard, or very chewy foods. If your dentist advises temporary replacement, use only an over-the-counter product labeled as temporary dental cement and follow its directions. The crown should seat easily and your bite should feel normal. Do not force it or use household glue.
A practical detail that helps us triage the call: Tell us whether the crown is whole, whether anything is stuck inside it, and whether the exposed tooth hurts without a trigger. Those details can change the recommended timing.
Can I Put My Temporary Crown Back On Myself?
Sometimes, but call your dental office first. If the dentist says it is appropriate, a pharmacy product labeled as temporary dental cement may hold an intact crown until the visit. Follow the product directions exactly.
Do not put the temporary back if it is cracked, will not seat easily, makes the bite feel high, or contains a piece of tooth or filling material. Store it safely instead. Never use super glue or another household adhesive in your mouth.
Why we do not recommend forcing it: A temporary can look aligned while sitting in the wrong position. We would rather examine a loose crown than have a patient bite on one that feels high or unstable.
If cold air or water triggers the exposed tooth, our Tooth Sensitivity to Cold page explains that symptom in more detail.
What If the Temporary Crown Is Lost or Broken?
If you cannot find the temporary or it is cracked, call the dental office. The dentist may need to make another provisional crown. Until then, keep the tooth clean, avoid chewing on it, and limit foods or drinks that trigger sensitivity.
Why prompt contact matters: The temporary does more than cover sensitivity. It also helps maintain the space and tooth position planned for the permanent crown. The appropriate appointment timing depends on the tooth, symptoms, and expected date of the final restoration, so call instead of relying on a fixed number of days.
Is a Lost Temporary Crown a Dental Emergency?
A temporary crown coming off is usually not a medical emergency by itself. However, call the dental office promptly so the tooth can be protected and the permanent-crown plan stays on track.
Seek urgent dental guidance for severe or worsening pain, facial or gum swelling, fever, pus, uncontrolled bleeding, or an injury that broke the tooth. Trouble breathing or swallowing requires emergency medical care. Our Emergency Dentist page explains the next step. For pain without those emergency signs, visit our Tooth Pain page.
How we judge urgency: The missing temporary is only one part of the picture. New swelling, spontaneous pain, trauma, fever, or rapidly worsening symptoms matter more than the crown being off by itself.
How Do I Protect the Tooth Until I See the Dentist?
Until the dentist advises you, protect the prepared tooth with these steps:
- Chew on the opposite side.
- Avoid sticky, hard, crunchy, or very chewy foods.
- Brush the area gently with a soft toothbrush.
- If you floss, guide the floss down and slide it out through the side instead of pulling it upward.
- Avoid very hot, cold, or sweet foods if they trigger sensitivity.
- Keep the temporary crown in a clean container and bring it to the visit.
A small home-care detail that prevents repeat problems: Pulling floss straight up can lift provisional cement. Sliding the floss out through the side cleans the contact without placing the same upward pressure on the temporary.
If the tooth hurts when you close or chew, our Tooth Pain When Biting Down page explains why the bite should be checked.
Temporary Crown FAQs
How long can I go with my temporary crown off?
Call the dental office when you notice it is off. The appropriate appointment timing depends on sensitivity, the condition of the tooth, and when the permanent crown is due. Avoid using a fixed waiting period because teeth and treatment plans differ.
Will my permanent crown still fit if the temporary came off?
It often will, especially when the dental office is contacted promptly. However, the dentist must try in the permanent crown to confirm its fit. Tooth movement or damage to the prepared tooth can change the next step.
Does it hurt when a temporary crown falls off?
The prepared tooth may feel sensitive to air, temperature, sweets, or pressure. Severe pain, worsening pain, swelling, or pain without a trigger should be reported promptly rather than treated as routine sensitivity.
What if the temporary crown keeps falling off?
Do not keep forcing or repeatedly gluing it into place. The dentist may need to check the fit, bite, cement, or prepared tooth and may make a new temporary when necessary.
Related Crown and Tooth Resources
- Dental Crowns in Whittier
- What to Do If You Lose a Filling or Permanent Crown
- What Should I Do If I Chip My Tooth?
- Emergency Dentist
- Tooth Sensitivity to Cold
- Tooth Pain When Biting Down
Reviewed by Brian Choi, DMD
General Dentist at Bailey Family Dental in Whittier, CA
Updated: November 2026
Temporary crown came off?
Bailey Family Dental in Whittier can examine the prepared tooth and temporary crown. When appropriate, we may re-cement the provisional restoration or make another one while the permanent crown is completed.
We're currently accepting new patients.
Book an AppointmentOr call (562) 698-8739 if you have pain, swelling, or a temporary crown that will not stay in place.
