There's a particular silence that falls over a dinner table when someone bites into a toffee and then quietly spits a crown into their napkin. If that was you, welcome. You've probably turned the crown over in your fingers, prodded the gap with your tongue, and wondered whether the superglue in the kitchen drawer counts as dentistry. It doesn't, but you're very much not alone. A crown coming off is one of the most common things I hear in my surgery.
The short answer: if your crown has come off, keep it safe, keep the area clean, chew on the other side and book to see a dentist within the next few days. Most lost crowns aren't emergencies, and many can be cemented back on if the tooth underneath is sound. It becomes urgent the same day if there's pain that painkillers don't control, swelling, a broken tooth, or a sharp edge cutting your mouth. If you think you've breathed the crown in, especially if you're coughing or short of breath, call 999. On the NHS in England, re-fixing a crown is covered by the urgent treatment charge; a new crown is a Band 3 treatment. Call my emergency dentist team in Harlow or Enfield, or NHS 111 if we're closed or you're not local.
Crown come off? Keep it in a small pot or bag and bring it with you. Call your nearest Minti practice and tell reception what's happened. I keep same-day appointments for pain and swelling wherever I can.
- Nuffield Dental Practice, Harlow: 01279 424 038
- Church Langley Dental, Harlow: 01279 306 690
- Enfield Smiles, Enfield: 020 8804 4320
Evening, weekend, or nowhere near us? Call NHS 111. If you think you've breathed the crown in, or you're struggling to breathe or swallow, or swelling is spreading to your eye or neck, that's 999 or A&E.
What should I do first when a crown comes off?
Three quick checks, in this order.
- Where did it go? If it's in your hand, great. If it's vanished and you had a coughing fit, treat that as possibly breathed in and call 999.
- Is the tooth broken or sore? Pain, swelling or a jagged tooth makes it a call-today job.
- Everything calm? Then it's a book-in-the-next-few-days job.
While you wait, the NHS advice for a lost crown is simple: keep the crown and take it to the dentist, brush twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, avoid hard foods on that side, and avoid very hot or cold food and drink if it's sensitive. Please don't glue it back with anything from the shed. Household glue isn't made for mouths, and it can make the crown much harder to refit properly.
Temporary cement from the pharmacy
If the crown sits snugly, a pharmacy dental cement may hold it for a short while. Ask a dentist or pharmacist first if you are unsure. It's a stopgap, not a fix, and it isn't right for every tooth.
Temporary crown fell off
Temporary crowns are designed to come off easily, so this happens a lot. It still needs putting back quickly, because the tooth underneath has been shaped and can move or get sensitive.
Is a lost crown an emergency?
Usually not, but it's time-sensitive. The Scottish dental guidance on acute problems sorts it like this: if pain is minor or has settled, routine care; if pain isn't relieved by painkillers, urgent care; if a piece of tooth or crown may have been breathed in, emergency care straight away. That's the advice I give in the chair too.
Crown fell out but it doesn't hurt
No pain is good news, not a green light to leave it for months. An uncovered tooth can decay, chip or shift, and the longer you wait, the less likely the old crown is to fit. My rule is within a few days.
Crown fell out of a root canal tooth
A root-filled tooth often doesn't hurt because the nerve has gone. That's the catch: it can't warn you. Bacteria can get back in, and the tooth is prone to breaking.
I swallowed my crown
I'll keep this one straight. Swallowed and feeling fine is usually not dangerous: most swallowed objects pass on their own. Breathed in is different and needs 999.
My crown feels loose
A crown that wiggles, clicks or lets in a funny taste is often on its way out. Getting it seen before it drops off can save the crown, and the tooth.
My implant crown feels loose
An implant crown that moves is a different job from a natural tooth, because it could be the screw, the crown or, rarely, the implant itself.
What's going on with the tooth underneath?
Here's the thing: when a crown comes off, the crown is rarely the problem. The tooth under it decides what happens next. These are the situations I see most.
There's no tooth left
It can look like nothing's there, but the root is nearly always still under the gum. Whether it can be rebuilt depends on how much firm tooth is left.
The tooth underneath is black
Dark doesn't automatically mean decay. It can be an old metal core, a root-filled tooth that has darkened, or staining. You can't tell from the mirror or without a dental examination.
It broke off at the gum line
As with a broken tooth, a tooth that snaps level with the gum can often still be saved if the root is healthy, usually with a post and a new crown. Sometimes it can't.
The post came out too
If there's a little metal or fibre pin sticking out of your crown, the post came with it. It can often go back in if the root is sound. Please don't push it back yourself.
Decay under the crown
The crown can't decay, but the tooth at its edge can. It's one of the commonest reasons a crown lets go, and it usually shows on an X-ray long before it hurts.
What if my crown hurts or is damaged but still on?
Pain under a crown that comes and goes
A high bite, a crack, decay at the edge or an irritated nerve can all cause on-off pain in a crowned tooth. Coming and going is a clue, not a reassurance.
Abscess under a crown
Throbbing, pain on biting, a spot on the gum or a bad taste can mean infection at the root. A dental abscess won't go away on its own and needs seeing urgently. Facial swelling spreading towards the eye or neck, or trouble breathing or swallowing, is 999.
Cracked or chipped crown
A small chip in the porcelain can often be smoothed or repaired. A crack right through, or a chip showing metal, usually means a new crown.
Crown came off after treatment abroad
If your crown was done overseas, I can still assess it, make you comfortable and talk you through the options.
How much does it cost to fix a lost crown?
It depends on what the tooth needs, which is why I won't guess before I've looked. On the NHS in England, the charges (checked on nhs.uk on 27 September 2026; page last reviewed 13 March 2025) are:
- Urgent treatment: £27.90. This covers an examination and, among other things, re-fixing a crown.
- Band 1: £27.90. Examination, X-rays and advice.
- Band 2: £76.60. Includes fillings and root canal treatment.
- Band 3: £332.10. Includes a new crown.
Private fees vary between practices and depend on the materials and the work involved. At Minti, fees are always explained and confirmed in writing before any treatment starts, and you can read more on our fees and finance page.
The best money tip is the boring one: the sooner a lost crown is seen, the more likely the old one can go back on, and the smaller the job tends to be.
When should I call about a lost crown?
If there's no pain and the tooth is intact, book in within the next few days. Call us today if:
- the tooth hurts, or painkillers aren't keeping on top of it
- there's swelling of the gum or face, a bad taste, or a spot on the gum
- the tooth underneath has broken, or a sharp edge is catching your tongue or cheek
- it's a front tooth and you need it covered
Call 999 or go to A&E, not a dentist, if:
- you think you've breathed in the crown, especially if you're coughing, wheezing or short of breath
- you're finding it hard to breathe, swallow or speak
- swelling is spreading towards your eye or down into your neck
- your eye is swollen or painful, or your eyesight has suddenly changed
- you can't open your mouth properly because of swelling
If it's sore while you wait, paracetamol or ibuprofen can help if they're suitable for you. Follow the dose on the packet.
If you're near Harlow or Enfield, I'd much rather take a look than have you spend another week chewing on one side and eyeing the superglue. Ring your nearest Minti practice, tell us your crown has come off, and bring it with you. If it hurts or there's swelling, say it's urgent and we'll do our best to see you the same day. Anywhere else, or out of hours, call NHS 111.
If the crown needs replacing, my dental crowns guide explains the materials, costs and appointments involved.
This article is general information, not a diagnosis. A tooth that has lost its crown needs examining in person to find the cause and the right repair.
