Millions of people have at least one dental crown in their mouths. This common dental treatment rebuilds and strengthens a damaged tooth so that it can resume normal function. While dental crowns closely replicate natural teeth, they are not natural teeth, and they require some special care for a long lifespan.
What is a Crown?
A crown, sometimes also called a cap, is a dental restoration that covers the entire exposed portion of a tooth. Basically, it replaces damaged enamel.
Enamel is the protective and insulating coating of each tooth. It only functions properly as a single unit. When it is disrupted or damaged by cavities or cracks, it is not able to perform its protective function. We can replace the enamel in its entirety with a dental crown.
Your dentist removes the enamel from the tooth and replaces it first with a temporary crown, and later with a permanent crown. A dental lab technician makes the crown from an exact replica of your prepared tooth. Your dentist attaches it to your tooth with dental cement.
What are the Risks of Eating the Wrong Foods?
As we mentioned above, your dentist attaches the crown (both the temporary one and the permanent one) to your tooth with dental cement. Certain foods can dislodge the crown, breaking the bond formed by the dental cement. When a crown comes off in one piece, you must return to your dentist for re-cementation. Leaving the crown off the tooth can cause sensitivity, new cavities, and shifting of the neighboring teeth.
Both temporary crowns and permanent crowns can break under the wrong forces. When a crown breaks, it is no longer performing its job of rebuilding the tooth to normal shape and function. We must replace it.
What Foods Should You Avoid with a Temporary Crown?
After preparing your tooth for the material of the permanent crown and taking a mold or three-dimensional scan of the prepared tooth, your dental team then fabricates a temporary crown to cover the tooth. You will wear a temporary crown for several weeks while the dental lab creates the permanent crown.
Temporary crowns come in a variety of materials, with acrylic and composite resin being the most popular. These are different types of plastic, and relatively weak, they will break under forces that are too heavy.
Because the temporary crown should only remain on the tooth for a few weeks, your dentist uses a temporary dental cement to hold it on the tooth. This means that sticky foods can easily dislodge it.
Here are foods to avoid when you are wearing a temporary crown:
- Hard nuts, like almonds
- Chewing ice
- Sticky candy, like caramels or taffy
If the temporary crown is on a front tooth, you should also avoid biting into hard foods with the temporary crown. This includes apples and carrots. Instead, cut them into smaller pieces and chew on your back teeth.
What Foods Should You Avoid with a Permanent Crown?
Permanent crowns are made of much sturdier material since they are designed to last for many decades. While they are much stronger than their plastic contemporaries, they are not invincible. To a smaller degree, they are at risk for the same consequences as temporary crowns: dislodging and breaking.
This means that the list of foods to avoid is about the same. The most important item on the list is chewing ice. Not only is ice hard for the teeth to break apart in chewing. The drastic temperature difference causes cracks in both enamel and porcelain.
Some people are more likely to break teeth and crowns than others are. Ask your dentist about your specific risk level. Those who are high risk should take additional measures to protect teeth and crowns.
More Questions about Crowns? Contact Rockland Dental to Learn More
Call Rockland Dental Specialists today to schedule a consultation with one of our dental experts. Not only can we answer any question you have about crowns, we can also assess any crowns you currently have and identify areas of concern. Our goal is to help every patient maintain healthy teeth and gums for a lifetime. Call us at (845) 259-2500 or complete our online contact form today!
