Can You Eat Hard Food with a Permanent Crown?
After any dental treatment, patients get concerned about the lifestyle adjustments they have to make to support their recovery, even when it does not involve surgery. Rightfully so, dentists have to recommend several things that will alter your behavioral habits and daily choices to benefit your oral health. It is the case even with simple dental procedures like getting a permanent crown for teeth.
What Are Permanent Crowns?
They are dental caps or crowns placed over teeth enamel to repair and restore them. The tooth crowns are the best oral appliances for restoring a natural tooth that has suffered significant structural damage. Without a dental crown, such a tooth would be weak, requiring a tooth extraction procedure.
Difference Between Permanent and Temporary Dental Caps
At ESP Dental, both permanent and temporary tooth crowns are essential for completing the restoration procedure for crowning teeth. However, they serve different roles. A temporary crown protects your teeth for a short period while a dentist is creating your final tooth crown. It usually takes about two weeks before your customized tooth crown is ready. A permanent dental cap, on the other hand, is tailored specifically for your tooth. It is the crown that will protect your teeth for the foreseeable future. This type of tooth crown is irremovable and irreversible unless replaced with a new one.
What Does the Procedure of Getting a Tooth Crown Entail?
Significant preparation is necessary before you can receive a tooth crown. The dentist must shave a sizeable chunk of your tooth enamel. The goal is to remove any damaged tooth structure while creating ample room to fit in a tooth crown.
After preparation, the dentist takes impressions of the tooth. The impressions will guide the dentist during the creation process of the dental cap, which happens in a dental laboratory. Meanwhile (s)he places a temporary tooth crown over the tooth, protecting it while the final dental cap is in preparation.
The last phase of the procedure entails placing a dental cap. The process relies on applying special crown cement to the dental crown to adhere to your natural tooth. At this point, the crown becomes one with your oral cavity.
How Long After a Crown Is Cemented Can I Eat?
Immediately after a tooth crown procedure, your mouth may be numb. Therefore, you may have to wait for about 30 to 45 minutes. However, you must avoid chewing on the side of the crowned tooth, whether you have a permanent or temporary crown.
If you still have your temporary crown, you have to be careful that you do not dislodge it and damage your natural tooth underneath. Your dentist will recommend eating soft foods and fluids. You need to avoid sticky foods like caramel that are more likely to dislodge your tooth cap than not.
After completing your treatment, your permanent new tooth will feel and look like the rest of your natural teeth. Therefore, accord the same care you give your natural teeth to your crowned tooth.
How Long Do Permanent Crowns Last?
The longevity of tooth crowns largely depends on how well you care for them. If you have a soft spot for hard food, you may not keep your dental caps in good shape for a long time. Typically, they last for about 10-20 years. They can last a longer or shorter period depending on your diligence with good oral care. Some of the things you can do to make your crowns last longer are:
- Eat healthy foods – do not contain many acids and sugars that may damage teeth enamel.
- Avoid hard foods like popcorn kernels, hard nuts, or ice cubes that may chip or break your teeth.
- Keep your mouth clean – plaque and tartar can form on your crown teeth and result in dental decay.
- Show up on your regular dental visits – the routine dental exams allow your dentist to ensure the crown is in good shape, serving you for as long as possible.
- Regulate your oral habits – biting fingernails, opening cans with your teeth, or grinding your teeth are all bad habits. They can damage your natural teeth, leave alone dental caps. If you cannot abandon those habits without help, talk to your dentist about habit counseling.