Crown fell off

What you may be worried about

• The tooth underneath may be weak, decayed, or sensitive.
• The crown may not fit back if the tooth has changed.
• The exposed tooth may break or become painful.
• The bite may damage the exposed tooth or the loose crown.
• Recementing may hide decay or cracks if the tooth is not checked first.

Common patterns people notice

• crown fell off
• exposed tooth
• sensitive tooth

Possible causes

• Cement washing out or losing bond over time.
• Decay under the crown edge.
• A crack or fracture in the remaining tooth.
• Bite pressure, grinding, or a crown that no longer fits predictably.
• The core or filling underneath the crown has broken away.
• The crown margin no longer seals properly.

What to do now

• Keep the crown if you have it and bring it to the appointment.
• Avoid chewing on that side until the tooth is assessed.
• Book an assessment soon, even if the tooth is not painful.
• If the crown is loose but still in your mouth, remove it carefully if safe and store it for the appointment.
• Note whether the tooth underneath looks intact, broken, dark, soft or sharp.

What to avoid

• Do not use household glue or hardware adhesives to reattach the crown.
• Do not keep wearing a loose crown if you might swallow or inhale it.
• Do not assume the crown can be reused without checking for decay or fracture.
• Do not chew hard foods on the exposed tooth while waiting for assessment.

When to arrange a dental assessment

• Arrange assessment soon if a crown comes off, especially if the tooth is sensitive, sharp, dark, soft, or painful.
• Seek urgent help if there is swelling, trauma, bleeding, severe pain, or a badly broken tooth under the crown.

What a dentist may need to assess

• Whether the crown still fits, whether decay or fracture is present, how much tooth remains, and whether the bite overloaded the crown.
• Whether the crown margin seals, whether the core has failed, and whether the nerve or root filling status changes the plan.
• Whether a temporary crown or temporary filling is needed while decisions are made.

Options that may be considered

What we would consider before recommending treatment

• Whether the tooth underneath is sound and restorable.
• Whether the crown fits fully without rocking or leaving gaps.
• Whether decay, cracks, bite pressure, or nerve symptoms are present.
• Whether there is enough tooth structure for another durable restoration.
• Whether the old crown failed because of a one-off cement issue or a deeper structural problem.

A sensible next step

Book an assessment and bring the crown with you. Use urgent help if there is swelling, severe pain, trauma, bleeding, or a badly broken tooth.

Possible next steps

• Recementing, repair, a new crown, core build-up, root canal treatment, extraction, or temporary protection may be discussed depending on the tooth.
• If the tooth is restorable but not ready for a final crown, staged stabilisation may be suggested first.

Common questions