Temporary Crown Procedure: What Happens, How Long It Takes, and Aftercare Tips

Reviewed By Dr. Dennis Rollins, DDO |  

July 2025 • 6 min Read

Reviewed By Dr. Dennis Rollins, DDO |  July 2025 • 6 min Read

A permanent crown can take several weeks to make. A temporary crown is used to protect the tooth in the meantime while maintaining proper spacing to ensure the permanent crown fits properly.

This process requires at least two appointments, and it all starts with finding the right dentist in your area. For help with that, click here or call us at (888) 597-3896.

Feature	Normal Post-Extraction	Dry Socket
Pain onset	Begins immediately after extraction, usually mild to moderate	Pain often starts 2–4 days after extraction, increasing in intensity
Pain type	Dull or throbbing, gradually easing over time	Severe, sharp, or throbbing, may radiate to ear, eye, or jaw
Blood clot at extraction site	Blood clot intact, socket looks protected	Severe, sharp, or throbbing, may radiate to ear, eye, or jaw
Blood clot at extraction site	Blood clot intact, socket looks protected	Clot partially or completely missing—socket may appear empty
Taste or odor	No unusual taste or smell	Foul taste or bad breath from exposed bone and bacterial activity
Swelling	Mild swelling that gradually decreases	May have swelling, but pain is disproportionate to appearance
Healing	Discomfort decreases each day	Pain persists or worsens after the first 2–3 days
Bone at extraction site	Rarely visible	Sometimes visible

Normal Post-Extraction	Dry Socket
Pain onset
Begins immediately after extraction, usually mild to moderate	Pain often starts 2–4 days after extraction, increasing in intensity
Pain type
Dull or throbbing, gradually easing over time	Severe, sharp, or throbbing, may radiate to ear, eye, or jaw
Blood clot at extraction site
Blood clot intact, socket looks protected	Severe, sharp, or throbbing, may radiate to ear, eye, or jaw
Blood clot at extraction site
Blood clot intact, socket looks protected	Clot partially or completely missing—socket may appear empty
Taste or odor
No unusual taste or smell	Foul taste or bad breath from exposed bone and bacterial activity
Swelling
Mild swelling that gradually decreases	May have swelling, but pain is disproportionate to appearance
Healing
Discomfort decreases each day	Pain persists or worsens after the first 2–3 days
Bone at extraction site
Rarely visible	Sometimes visible

What to Expect When Getting a Temporary Crown

Initial exam: Your dentist will examine the tooth to check for decay or infection. They will usually take an X-ray to confirm that the root and surrounding bone are healthy enough for a crown.
Treatment plan: Your dentist will explain options, answer your questions, and obtain your consent for treatment.
Anesthesia: Local anesthetic will be used to numb the tooth and surrounding gums.
Tooth preparation: Your dentist will trim and shape the tooth so the crown fits properly.
Impression or digital scan: A physical impression (using putty) or an intraoral digital scan will be taken of the tooth and adjacent teeth to make the permanent crown.
Shade selection: The dentist will select the crown shade that best matches your teeth.
Temporary crown fabrication: The temporary crown will be made either chairside from acrylic/composite or quickly fabricated in the office’s lab from a preformed shell filled with temporary material.
Try-on and adjustment: The temporary crown will be tried on, trimmed, and adjusted for fit and bite, so that it feels comfortable and doesn’t interfere with chewing.
Cementation of the temporary crown: Your dentist will attach the temporary crown with temporary cement, which will hold it in place while allowing easy removal later.
Post-op instructions: You’ll be given care instructions, such as avoiding sticky or chewy foods, not chewing with the temporary crown, and gently brushing and flossing.
Follow-up and permanent crown placement: Typically, 1-3 weeks after your temporary crown, it will be replaced with the permanent crown. Fit and color will be checked, any needed adjustments will be made, and the permanent crown will be secured in place with a strong, long-term cement.

Caring for Your Temporary Crown

Your temporary crown shields exposed dentin, reduces sensitivity, and prevents the tooth from shifting. Any movement can cause the final crown to fit incorrectly and might require the dentist to redo the putty impression or digital scan.

Good care also minimizes the risk of the temporary becoming loose or dislodged, which can lead to pain, gum irritation, or damage to the tooth underneath. Here’s what to do (and not to do) as you wait to get your permanent crown in place.

Things to Do

Eating

Stick to soft, nutrient-dense foods, like eggs, pasta, yogurt, cooked vegetables, and rice.
Cut food into small pieces.

Brushing

Brush twice daily with a soft toothbrush.
Use fluoride toothpaste to help with sensitivity.
Use gentle pressure around the temporary crown.
Angle the brush at 45 degrees to clean along the gumline.

Flossing

Floss gently once daily.
Use regular string floss for better control.
Slide the floss down between the teeth and then pull it out to the side, rather than up.

Things Not to Do

Eating

Don’t chew with the temporary crown.
Don’t eat sticky foods, like caramel, gummies, taffy, or chewing gum.
Don’t eat hard or crunchy foods, like nuts, ice, chips, or raw carrots.
Don’t eat tough or chewy foods, like steak, jerky, or bagels.

Brushing

Don’t scrub aggressively at the gumline around the crown.
Don’t use an electric toothbrush.

Flossing

Don’t snap floss up and out, which can pull the crown out of place.
Don’t use floss picks.
Don’t thread floss under the temporary crown if there’s a gap.

Normal Symptoms After Getting a Temporary Crown

These symptoms are common and typically last 1-3 days, improving each day.

1. Mild–to-moderate soreness or aching

It will usually feel like a bruised or tender sensation around the tooth and gums.

2. Brief temperature sensitivity

Cold air and cold or hot drinks and food might cause mild pain.

It should only last a few seconds once the stimulus is removed.

3. Mild gum irritation

Slight redness, soreness, or minor bleeding might occur when brushing.

4. Temporary crown feeling a bit high

Your bite might feel slightly different at first, but should feel more normal as the temporary crown settles.

Signs You Should Call Your Dentist

If you experience any of the symptoms below, it’s best to contact your dentist right away.

Persistent or worsening pain

Long-lasting sensitivity to hot, cold, or sweet food

Sharp pain when biting or chewing

Swelling, warmth, or a pimple-like bump on the gums

Fever or a foul taste

Your temporary crown becomes loose, falls off, or moves

None of these symptoms indicates an emergency, but prompt treatment from your dentist will prevent the issue from becoming worse.

What to Do If Your Temporary Crown Falls Off

The first and most important step is to make an appointment with your dentist. They’ll clean the crown and tooth, adjust the fit if needed, put the crown back on or replace it with a new one, and check your bite.

Here’s what to do at home while you wait for that appointment.

1. Keep the crown and tooth clean

Rinse the crown gently with water.

If debris is inside the crown, use a cotton swab or soft toothbrush to lightly clean it.

Do not scrub aggressively or use chemicals, toothpaste, or alcohol on the crown.

2. Rinse your mouth

Use a mild saltwater solution (half of a teaspoon of salt mixed in one cup of warm water). This soothes the area and helps prevent bacteria.

3. Stick to soft food

Try not to chew with the affected tooth.

Avoid very hot, cold, and spicy food and liquids, which can spike sensitivity.

4. Check the crown for damage

If it’s cracked, broken, or warped, do not try to re-seat it yourself. Store it in a small container or plastic bag and bring it to your dentist.

If the crown looks intact and the tooth is not painful, you can try temporarily re-seating it using the safe steps below.

5. (Optional) Re-seat the crown

This is a stopgap measure to help protect the tooth, reduce sensitivity, and keep the crown from being lost. You’ll still need to see your dentist as soon as possible.

Dry the inside of the crown.
Place a pea-sized amount of denture adhesive inside the crown.
Gently place the crown onto the tooth in the correct orientation.
Press lightly for a few seconds.
Bite down gently to confirm the crown feels like it did before.

This will hold the crown in place while still allowing the dentist to remove it easily.

If the tooth is very sensitive, you can try the same process using petroleum jelly instead of denture adhesive. This solution is less secure, but it can help provide a temporary barrier until you can get to your dentist.

If the crown won’t stay on, do not force it. Just store it in a container until your dentist appointment.