Can You Eat Chips with Permanent Crowns?
Crowns are tooth-shaped caps custom-created to fit over your natural tooth to fortify it and restore its size and appearance. If you have a damaged tooth from excessive decay or trauma, dental crowns are excellent to restore the strength and functionality of the tooth. In addition, the dental crown fits over the damaged tooth to provide it the much-needed stability.
The dental crown procedure is essential in many dental situations to protect weak teeth, restore chipped or broken teeth or make cosmetic alterations. Dental crowns also help to cover a dental implant or function as artificial teeth with dental bridges. Dental crowns last for a decade with proper dental hygiene, but the restoration can serve more extended periods for some people. Caring for the crown is not challenging besides maintaining acceptable dental hygiene practices like brushing and flossing diligently and visiting dentists for regular exams and cleanings.
How Intensive Is the Dental Crown Procedure?
The dental crown procedure requires your dentist to file the tops and sides of your natural tooth to accommodate the restoration. After the preparation, you must wait for approximately three weeks with temporary crowns covering the prepared tooth. Temporary crowns are provided to protect your prepared teeth from further damage but are not as durable as permanent crowns. In addition, temporary cement helps the dentist bond the temporary restorations to your tooth.
You receive advice from your dentist not to chew on crunchy and sticky foods with temporary crowns because they will likely break or pull off with high force. The problem will likely encounter you if you decide to return to your regular diet after the anesthesia wears off. Your dentist advises you to refrain from chewing sticky foods like caramel, taffy, and gum with temporary crowns in your mouth. You must also avoid complex foods like granola, ice, and hard candy. Avoiding steak and hard bread is suggested by the dentist besides scorching and chilled foods.
Foods to Avoid with Dental Crowns
You don’t have to endure many restrictions after you receive your permanent crowns over your prepared tooth. However, some conditions continue to apply, and you must inquire with your dentist about the diets to avoid on dental crowns.
The dentist suggests foods like yummy steaks and candies that can potentially dislodge your permanent crown. Hard and crunchy foods like pretzels, seeds, and nuts, which can break your dental restoration, are also restricted. Popcorn and nuts are harmful to your dental crown, and the dentist suggests you have cooked vegetables instead of raw vegetables to ensure you don’t damage your dental restoration. However, having chips with dental crowns isn’t a concern as long as you try not to bite the chips with the crowned tooth directly.
You receive advice from a dentist to chew foods from the opposite side of your mouth to reduce the possibility of dislodging or damaging the dental restoration. After you have your permanent crown placed over your tooth, you can have the foods you love and continue with your regular activities as usual so long as you follow your dentist’s instructions diligently and don’t try to damage the restoration even inadvertently.
Preserving Your Dental Crown As Best Possible
Besides the restrictions on the diets mentioned above, whether you have temporary crowns or permanent crowns, you must avoid the following.
Your teeth are designed for eating and chewing and not for other purposes. Therefore do not use your teeth to open packages, bite fingernails because these activities damage the restoration and your natural teeth.
Dental crowns don’t require special attention, but it doesn’t mean you can overlook maintaining excellent dental hygiene after having them. You can care for the crowned tooth just as you do your natural teeth, brushing them twice a day using fluoride toothpaste and a soft-bristled toothbrush, flossing at least once a day, paying particular attention to ensure you remove dental plaque from around and over the crowned tooth. Adopting these habits ensures you preserve your dental crown for longer than expected.
Do not consume pigmented foods and beverages consistently with the belief that porcelain dental crowns are stain-resistant. Pigmented foods and drinks can cause changes to the shade of your natural teeth, making the dental crown stand out like a sore thumb.
Adhering to the guidelines mentioned above enables you to protect your dental crown and safeguard your investment.