Dental Cement for Crown

AgathaPoirot

Can anyone recommend dental cement to reset a crown?

I have a crown that has worked free of it's dentist set cement, my dentist is not open today and I'm about to go away from my home town for 3 / 4 weeks.

I've seen Boots have Dentek Temporary Filling Repair Kit, has anyone used this and would recommend it or have any alternative brands I can try?

Thank you

Toothsmith

The very best thing if you're going away for that long would be to try and see your dentist before you go, or see if they have a weekend emergency service - the NHS may not consider it an emergency, but if you're a private patient or on a scheme like Denplan, then you could pay to be seen, or the cost of being seen would be covered by the scheme.

Failing that, then try and see a dentist where you're going. Again, if you're on a scheme, there may be some cover for this cost, and even help to find a dentist.

Temporary kits are not very good, and do not seal the crown on very well, which over that time period might cause some damage to the tooth structure underneath. Most are zinc oxide/euganol based, and these cements can sometimes affect filling materials under the crown, or the effectiveness of some of the cements the dentist might use to put the crown back on properly with.

AgathaPoirot

Thank you. I didn't get to see a dentist before I left but I did put the crown tooth back in place after gently cleaning it and my mouth.

It's a bottom tooth near the middle so it might just be gravity but since putting it back in it's actually been 'seated' better than before. Before it fully came out I could feel it moving around but during this last week it has been OK.

I don't feel it moving anymore when I eat or when I (gently) brush around it.

I know I need to get another solution but my question is am I ok to leave it in place until I am back home in a few weeks if it continues to feel OK or am I doing some other damage to it/my mouth?

I did buy a Dentek Caps & Fillings Repair pack but haven't opened it because the crown does feel secure enough by itself.

Toothsmith

As is is, it isn't properly sealed. Bacteria can get to the exposed tooth surface, and might cause harm, or you might get away with it. There's no way I can be sure, but my advice would be to try to get to see a dentist before 4 weeks.


If you had a pot of cream in your fridge, with the lid still intact - then you'd be quite confident eating it up to, and probably a day or two after the use by date.

If you pealed the lid off, but then just placed it back on and maybe crimped the edges a bit - then how would you feel eating that a couple of weeks later, even if it was still a few days before the use by date? Especially if the fridge wasn't that clean?

Ok - well the tooth is the cream, your crown is the lid that's not on properly, and your mouth is the rather dodgy fridge. You might get away with it - you might not.

In the words of Dirty Harry - 'Do you feel lucky'?

AgathaPoirot

OK thanks for your clear post. I didn't know if the fact that the crown seemed to have reseated would be enough to manage on until I got back home but I have now booked in with my own dentist for as soon as I get back, and am also going to go to a dentist here.

Toothsmith

That's sensible.

Vegastare

Once had the need to visit a dentist in Cyprus and while dreading seeing another dentist let alone in a different country, he was wonderful and I have often thought wish he was my local dentist.
Glad you have your appt made, teeth and mouth health are so very important.

AgathaPoirot

An update to finish my tooth story. After having my crown cemented back in, no other problems found, I had a longer and better chat with my dentist and from this chat I'm going to go ahead with a set of bottom dentures.

The price will be approx £260 and the denture might/will need replacing in time but the benefit to me is I can afford it and missing back teeth can also be put onto the same denture. If money was no problem then I would probably go for an implant but at £2500 it's not an option at the moment.

Thanks for your help and reassurances along the way.