The Dentist From a Child' Point of View

Protect Your Temporary Dental Crowns At The Holidays

Dental crowns are like caps for your teeth that are used to correct cosmetic damage and to restore the appearance of your enamel. The installation of dental crowns is a process that can take several weeks. Once the teeth are ground down, they're fitted with temporary crowns that are left in place until the permanent crowns are ready. While permanent crowns are nearly as durable as natural teeth, temporary crowns are more fragile. If you've recently had temporary crowns installed over your teeth and are waiting for your permanent crowns to be installed, you'll have to watch out for holiday hazards that can dislodge your temporary crowns.

Avoid Nuts and Crunchy Raw Vegetables

You may go to several parties over the holidays where platters of nuts and raw vegetables are served before the meal. Hard foods that require a lot of chewing action can damage your temporary crowns. The best thing you can do is avoid these foods at parties, however, if you do decide to eat nuts and hard vegetables, chew them on the side of the mouth opposite your crowns.

Remember Your Teeth are Not Suitable for Opening Packages

Many people use their teeth to tear open plastic packages at the holidays. This is precisely the kind of behavior that can cause you to lose your temporary crowns. To avoid this problem, keep a pair of scissors or a pocket knife on hand whenever opening gifts.

Don't Eat the Hard Candies

Candy canes are likely to crack or damage your temporary dental crowns. Fortunately, candy canes last a long time and are easy to save. If you love candy canes and don't want to miss your chance to eat them this year, save your candy canes until after the holidays when your permanent crowns are installed.

Avoid Sticky Holiday Foods

Sticky foods like homemade caramel and toffee are often available in abundance at the holidays. Avoid eating these candies. Sometimes these foods are used as ingredients in baked goods like cookies. Inquire about the ingredients of cookies before eating them to avoid accidentally biting into something very sticky.

Following these tips, you should be able to protect your temporary crowns until your permanent crowns are installed. However, if something should happen to your temporary crowns before the permanent ones are installed, you may need cosmetic dentistry services to correct the problem. Talk to your cosmetic dentist to find out what needs to be done. To learn more, speak with a professional like Stephen J Vanyo DMD PA.