How to Cement a Crown

Cleaning Your Tooth and Crown

Notice that your crown has fallen out. Crowns typically fall out while eating. The crown may be stuck in a piece of food, or you may feel it in your mouth while you are chewing. If this happens, take the crown out of your mouth or the piece of food. Clean it off with water and a paper towel. Do not leave the crown out of your mouth for more than 24 hours. If you do, your teeth may shift, causing the crown to not fit properly.

Look inside the crown for soft or hard tooth material. If you see soft or hard tooth material in the crown and your tooth appears broken, then your dentist will need to re-cement the crown for you. If your tooth appears unbroken and the crown is mostly hollow, then you can try to re-cement the crown yourself. Additionally, if your tooth appears unbroken and the crown’s post is still intact, then you can re-cement the crown at home. Contact your dentist immediately if you have swelling or extreme pain.

Clean your tooth with a toothbrush and floss. Use a toothbrush to scrub cement and food particles off of your tooth. Floss around your tooth to clear away any excess cement or food particles as well. Use a toothpick to clean off hard-to-remove cement. Your tooth must be completely clear of debris for the crown to fit properly.

Remove loose cement from inside the crown. Open up a paper clip. Use the tip of the paper clip to scrape out loose cement. Scrape out as much cement as you can. As you remove the cement, place the crown under running water to clear away any loose particles. If your crown has a post, use the paper clip to scrape cement off of the post. If the post breaks or becomes loose, then you will need to wait for the dentist to re-cement the crown for you.

Fitting the Crown

Place the crown on your tooth without cement. Bite your teeth together without too much pressure. If the crown feels higher than your other teeth when you bite together, then it is not fitted properly. A fitted crown will feel secure and comfortable in your mouth.

Clean your tooth and crown again if it does not fit properly. Scrub your tooth with your toothbrush or use a toothpick to remove any additional debris. Scrape out as much cement as you can from the crown with the paper clip.

Fit the crown again. If the crown does not fit properly one way, turn it and try to fit it on from a different angle. Try to fit it on from the tongue side. If that does not work, then try to fit it on from the cheek side. Be patient when you are trying to fit the crown onto your tooth. Do not force the crown. Forcing it may cause the crown or your tooth to break. If you cannot fit the crown properly, then you will need to wait for your dentist to do it for you.

Practice fitting the crown a few times once you find the right position. Slide the crown on and off your tooth to become comfortable with the motion. Each time you fit the crown, look in the mirror and observe how it lines up with your other teeth. Also bite your teeth together to make sure you can bite properly without the crown feeling uncomfortable or unstable. If you cannot see the crown because it is in the back of your mouth, then use your tongue to feel how it fits properly.

Cementing the Crown

Prepare the cement per the instructions on the package. Some products require you to mix a powder and liquid together. Other products are premixed and ready to use. Whichever product you use, make sure to follow the instructions for preparing the cement. Do not use Super Glue or Krazy Glue to re-cement your crown.

Dry your tooth and crown with gauze. The cement will adhere better if your crown and tooth are both dry. Rub your crown and tooth with tissue or gauze to dry them. Make sure your crown and tooth are completely dry. Make sure to remove any pieces of tissue or gauze that stick to your crown and tooth.

Fill your crown with cement. Fit your crown onto your tooth the way you practiced. Bite your teeth together for one to two minutes, or per the instructions on the package. If your crown has a post, then cover the post with cement instead.

Remove excess cement with a toothpick. After the allotted time, use a toothpick to remove cement from your gums and the edges of your tooth and crown. Also remove any cement from the inside of your cheek and tongue.

Pull a piece of floss between your crown and the tooth next to it. Gently place the floss between your tooth and the crown. Instead of pulling the floss down from both ends, release one end of the floss. While biting your teeth together, slowly pull the floss through your crown and tooth. Repeat this process on the other side of the crown.