The 7 Most Common Dental Crown Problems and What Mableton Patients Should Do

What Should You Do If Your Crown Falls Off or Feels Loose?

If your crown falls off, keep it, rinse it, and call your dentist when the office opens. A clean, intact crown on a healthy tooth can often be cemented back on in one visit.

A crown usually comes loose for a reason. Healthline's dentist-reviewed guide(opens in new tab) lists decay under the crown, worn cement, sticky foods, an improperly fitted crown, too little cement, grinding, and too little tooth left to hold the crown. Poor fit and too little cement trace back to placement. Caramel and nighttime grinding do not.

A crown that falls off can often be temporarily reinserted at home. According to Healthline's guide, you can gently clean the inside of the crown and hold it in place with temporary dental cement sold at pharmacies. If the crown does not slide on easily, do not force it. Store it in a small container, chew on the other side, and stick to soft foods.

Vibrant Smiles Family & Cosmetic Dentistry sees patients Monday through Thursday and holds same-day appointments for urgent problems. If a crown comes off Thursday night or over the weekend, call first thing the next business day. See the emergency dentistry page.

The cost of fixing a loose crown depends on what is under it. Recementing an intact crown on a healthy tooth is usually a short visit and costs far less than a new crown. A porcelain crown averages $1,399 nationally and about $1,205 in Georgia, according to CareCredit's cost study(opens in new tab) by ASQ360° Market Research. For local pricing by material and insurance, see how much a dental crown costs in Cobb County.

Crown Came Off at a Mable House Concert? Keep It, Do Not Superglue It

A crown that comes off at an evening show or a weekend at Six Flags is a hassle, not a crisis. Put the crown in a small container and chew on the other side. Chea Rainford, DMD, has a simple rule: never glue a crown back on with superglue or any household adhesive. Superglue can set a crooked crown and seal bacteria against the tooth. Temporary dental cement from a Mableton pharmacy is a safe stopgap until you can call.

Why Does Your Tooth Hurt Under a Crown?

A tooth that hurts under a crown usually has one of two problems: the crown sits too high and takes too much biting force, or the nerve inside the tooth is irritated or infected.

Pain only when you bite down, especially on a newer crown, often means a high bite. Pain that throbs on its own or wakes you at night points to the nerve.

When the Crown Sits Too High

A high bite happens when a crown touches before your other teeth. It is a placement issue and one of the easiest crown problems to fix. The dentist checks your bite with thin marking paper and smooths the high spot, usually in a short visit. Until then, chew on the other side and use ibuprofen or acetaminophen as labeled, which the Cleveland Clinic(opens in new tab) lists for post-crown soreness.

When the Nerve Is Inflamed or Infected

A crowned tooth can still develop nerve problems, because many crowned teeth had deep decay or large fillings first. That outcome is usually nobody's fault.

An infected tooth under a crown can become an abscess. Mayo Clinic(opens in new tab) lists severe, throbbing pain, fever, and facial swelling as signs of an abscess and advises going to an emergency room for fever with facial swelling if you cannot reach your dentist, or for any trouble breathing or swallowing.

Root canal treatment can often save a crowned tooth, and Vibrant Smiles Family & Cosmetic Dentistry performs root canals in-house. A root canal averages $978 nationally, $930 in Georgia, and $1,220 for a molar, according to CareCredit's 2026 cost data(opens in new tab). Some teeth are treated through the existing crown; others need a new crown afterward.

Is Crown Sensitivity to Hot and Cold Normal?

Sensitivity to hot and cold for a couple of weeks after a new crown is normal, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Sensitivity that lasts longer, gets worse, or lingers after the drink is gone needs an exam.

Crown sensitivity that starts years later often comes from the gums. Gum recession(opens in new tab), where gum tissue pulls away and exposes the root, leaves root surfaces without protective enamel. The Cleveland Clinic recommends desensitizing toothpaste with ingredients such as potassium nitrate or stannous fluoride.

Crown sensitivity that lingers after the cold drink is gone is different. CareCredit's dentist-reviewed root canal guide lists lingering sensitivity as a possible sign the nerve needs treatment.

What Happens If a Dental Crown Chips or Cracks?

A small chip in a crown can often be smoothed or repaired. A large crack or a break that exposes the metal or the tooth usually requires replacing the crown.

Crown chips depend on the material. The Cleveland Clinic explains that the porcelain on porcelain-fused-to-metal (PFM) crowns can chip, exposing the metal underneath, while zirconia crowns withstand greater forces than other ceramic crowns. In a review of the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry, fracture was the most common complication among all-ceramic crowns, at 7%.

Most chipped crowns result from habits, such as chewing ice or nighttime grinding (bruxism), rather than placement. Material choice is the part a dentist controls: a heavy grinder may do better with zirconia on a back tooth.

A chipped crown rarely needs same-night care. Save any pieces and call if a sharp edge cuts your tongue. Small chips can often be polished smooth, while a large break usually means a new crown and a nightguard if you grind.

What Is the Dark Line Around the Edge of a Crown?

A dark line at the gumline around a crown is usually the metal edge of a porcelain-fused-to-metal crown showing after the gums pull back. It is often cosmetic, but decay at the crown's edge can look similar.

A porcelain-fused-to-metal crown's metal edge usually starts just under the gum, and gum recession can expose it. Gum recession is common and usually nobody's fault. The Cleveland Clinic(opens in new tab) reports that about 88% of people over 65 have gum recession on one or more teeth, with causes such as brushing too hard, plaque buildup, gum disease, and genetics.

A dark line around a crown is not urgent. Exposed metal can stay if the crown fits and the gums are healthy, or the crown can be replaced with an all-ceramic or zirconia crown. Insurance may not cover a crown replaced for cosmetic reasons, according to CareCredit's crown cost guide.

Can You Get a Cavity Under a Dental Crown?

Yes. The crown cannot decay, but the natural tooth under it can, usually starting at the edge where the crown and tooth meet. Dentists call this recurrent decay (also called secondary caries).

Decay under a crown often starts where cement has worn away, according to Healthline. The Cleveland Clinic notes that crowns can trap bacteria and lead to decay if they do not fit properly, and lists bad breath or a bad taste as reasons to call your dentist.

An open margin, a gap where the crown's edge meets the tooth, is plainly a placement issue because it traps plaque. Decay at a well-fitted margin usually comes from missed flossing. Bridges carry more risk: the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry review found decay in 18% of the teeth supporting bridges.

The fix for decay under a crown depends on depth. Small decay at the edge can sometimes be filled. Larger decay usually means a new crown, plus a root canal if it reaches the nerve.

Placement Problems vs. Wear Problems: Which Crown Issues Are the Dentist's Fault?

Poor fit, open margins, a high bite, and excess cement left under the gum trace back to how a crown was made or placed. Chewing ice, grinding, gum recession, and decay from missed flossing usually do not.