After a crown or bridge
For anyone wearing a temporary crown or bridge, and for the visit when the final one goes on.
Call us if…
- The temporary comes off — call the same day so the prepared tooth is protected and the teeth do not drift.
- The bite feels high, or one spot hits before the others.
- Pain lingers for more than a few seconds after something cold, or wakes you at night.
- The gum around it stays sore or bleeds beyond a couple of weeks.
While you have the temporary
- The temporary is deliberately held with weak cement so we can remove it easily. Treat it gently.
- Avoid sticky food on that side: chewing gum, caramel, toffee.
- Do not pull floss up out of the gap — slide it out sideways instead, or the floss will lift the temporary off.
- Some cold sensitivity and gum tenderness is normal while the temporary is on.
After the final one is cemented
- Do not eat until the numbness has fully worn off — it is very easy to bite your cheek.
- Avoid anything sticky for 24 hours while the cement reaches full strength.
- Mild sensitivity for a week or two as the gum settles is common.
- Floss and brush around it exactly as you would a natural tooth. Decay starts at the margin, not on the crown.
Your bite
- Once the numbness is gone, pay attention to how your teeth meet.
- If the new tooth feels even slightly high or hits first, call us. It is a two-minute adjustment, and leaving it causes a persistent ache.