If youve ever needed a dental crown, chances are you were fitted with a temporary crown before receiving the permanent one. While it may not be the final solution, your temporary crown plays an essential role in protecting your tooth and preserving your comfort between visits. At McLevin Dental Clinic, we craft and place temporary crowns with precision and care, ensuring a seamless transition to your final restoration.
Lets walk you through what really happens behind the scenes when we create a temporary crownand why it matters.
Why a Temporary Crown Is Necessary
After preparing a tooth for a permanent crown, the natural structure is left vulnerable. It needs protection until the custom crown is fabricated in a dental lab. Thats where a temporary crown comes in. Its job is to:
Shield the tooth from sensitivity
Prevent food debris and bacteria from entering the prepared area
Maintain the shape of the gum and spacing with surrounding teeth
Preserve your ability to chew and speak comfortably
While it may not have the durability or aesthetic quality of your final crown, the temporary version is a vital placeholder that supports the health and function of your smile.
Step 1: Tooth Preparation
Before placing any type of crown, your dentist prepares the tooth by removing decay or damaged material and reshaping the surface. This ensures the final crown will fit securely and function properly. Once the tooth is shaped, impressions or digital scans are taken to begin the fabrication process for the permanent crown.
At McLevin Dental, we use advanced intraoral scanners for many crown procedures, which eliminates the need for messy impression materials and improves precision.
Step 2: Choosing the Temporary Crown Material
Temporary crowns are typically made from acrylic resin or composite materials. These are selected for their adaptability and quick-setting properties. While they arent designed to last long-term, they are biocompatible and safe for short-term wear.
Our dental team selects a material that closely matches your tooth shade so that even your temporary crown blends in well, especially for front teeth.
Step 3: Creating the Crown
We use one of two methods to create your temporary crown:
Preformed Shells: In some cases, we use a pre-made crown shell that is customized chairside to fit your tooth. These are adjusted and trimmed to match your bite and gumline before being cemented.
Custom Molded Crowns: In other cases, we use an impression of your prepared tooth (taken before trimming it) to create a mold. A putty-like material is placed into the mold and then fitted over your prepared tooth to set. Once hardened, this molded temporary is shaped and polished for a snug fit.
This entire process typically takes just 1020 minutes, depending on the complexity of your case.
Step 4: Fitting and Adjustments
Once the temporary crown is formed, your dentist ensures that it fits comfortably. We carefully adjust the height so it aligns with your bite and doesnt cause any pressure or discomfort when chewing. If any part feels sharp or protrudes, we smooth it out.
An ill-fitting temporary crown can lead to irritation, misalignment, or unnecessary stress on adjacent teeth, which is why we never rush this step.
Step 5: Temporary Cementation
The final step is to place the temporary crown with a mild, temporary adhesive. This cement is strong enough to hold the crown in place for days or weeks but allows for easy removal when its time to place the permanent restoration.
Youll be advised to avoid sticky, hard, or crunchy foods and to chew on the opposite side of your mouth if possible to help the crown stay in place. Good oral hygiene, including gentle brushing and flossing, is still essential.
Step 6: Monitoring and Care
Before you leave, our team will give you specific care instructions. You may feel slight sensitivity around the crown, especially with hot or cold beverages, but this typically resolves quickly. If you feel any discomfort, looseness, or pain, we encourage you to call us immediately so we can make necessary adjustments.
Temporary crowns are generally worn for one to three weeks, depending on how long your custom crown takes to return from the lab. During that time, we monitor how the crown is functioning and how the surrounding gum tissue is responding.
Conclusion
Though often underestimated, a temporary crown is an essential part of the restorative process. At McLevin Dental Clinic, we treat every temporary crown with the same attention to detail and care as we do with permanent restorations. Our goal is to ensure your comfort, protect your oral health, and prepare you for a smooth and successful final crown placement.
Whether you’re getting your first crown or replacing an old one, were here to guide you through every step with clarity, comfort, and clinical excellence.