Can You Smoke after Getting a Dental Crown?
If you have tooth damage from decay, injury, or regular wear and tear, you may want to restore the tooth to its former strength and functionality. The damaged tooth will not let you eat or smile if it is in the aesthetic zone of your mouth. You confront more challenges if the tooth is a molar because the damage does not let you chew foods forcing you to swallow whatever you try to eat.
You don’t have to endure the challenges forever because you can have the tooth restored with a crown similar to a dental cap in a couple of visits to the dentist near you. Dental crowns require two to three appointments with a dentist before you can have the restoration to protect your tooth.
If you have a damaged tooth and are a smoker, you may wonder whether you can smoke immediately after getting a dental crown. You may even have questions to ask your dentist whether you can indulge in smoking soon after the dental crown procedure. However, if you want to restore your tooth with a dental crown, you must prepare yourself for some sacrifices temporarily or permanently if you wish to protect the dental crown and your overall health.
What Does the Dental Crown Procedure Entail?
The dental crown procedure is significant and requires you to receive local anesthesia before the dentist prepares the affected tooth for the dental cap. During your first appointment, the dentist examines the affected tooth to determine whether you have any infections in your mouth. If you need root canals, the dentist recommends you undergo the procedure before getting the dental crown. However, if all things are acceptable, the dentist files your tooth from the tops and sides to make space for the dental crown. How much filing is required depends on the material you choose for the crowns. For example, metal crowns for the molars don’t require extensive tooth structure removal. However, if you need the dental crown on a front tooth and choose porcelain fused to metal crowns, you must endure comprehensive tooth structure removal.
After reshaping your tooth, the dentist fabricates an interim custom fit temporary crown to fit the prepared tooth. The temporary crown helps protect tooth and gum tissue while your permanent crown is customized in a dental laboratory. Temporary crowns also prevent shifting and moving, making it essential to ensure that they stay in place until your permanent crowns are ready.
Temporary crowns are created from hard acrylic and are not functional for chewing. The temporary restoration is cemented with temporary cement to help your dentist remove it easily for placement of the permanent crown.
The preparation for the dental crown is intensive and requires some time for healing. It helps if you refrain from smoking for 24 to 48 hours after your first visit if you intend to heal in time for the permanent restoration. You may experience persistent discomfort and swelling after the initial procedure. You can report the same to the dentist in Gilbert, AZ, for advice.
Placement of Your Permanent Crown
Placement of the permanent crown starts by giving you anesthesia and removing the temporary arrangement. After temporary crown removal, the dentist checks the color and fit of the permanent restoration to ensure it is acceptable. Finally, all things being well, the permanent metal or porcelain crown is bonded over your prepared tooth as a durable restoration lasting for over a decade.
You might be encouraged to begin smoking after the Crown procedure. However, we suggest you wait for at least 48 hours because you have undergone another process for permanent Crown placement. Although the dentist uses special dental cement to bond the permanent crown, it is your responsibility to care for it appropriately to ensure it remains in your mouth for its intended lifespan.
Here again, it helps if you refrain from smoking for at least 48 hours, during which time you may experience sensitivity from the affected tooth. The precaution is essential as a safety measure to keep your affected tooth and the dental crown safe and prevent complications. Perhaps the short layoff may encourage you to quit smoking for good. However, if it doesn’t, you can continue enjoying your detrimental habit after a couple of days when you would have recovered from the dental crown procedure.
If you need dental crowns and are concerned about your smoking, please contact Town Square Dental, where you receive help to deal with both situations.