Emergency dentist in Rugby · what to do tonight
Lost a filling or a crown: what to do until you are seen
Written by Dr Tim Bond, principal dentist at Rugby Smiles · Reviewed September 2026
The short answer: keep the crown, keep the hole clean, cover it if it is sharp or sensitive, and ring us within a day or two. It is rarely a tonight emergency, but the exposed tooth is vulnerable, and a quick refit now avoids a bigger repair later.
Fillings and crowns fall out for boring reasons: age, a bit of decay underneath, a sticky toffee. What matters is what you do with the tooth in the days before it is fixed, because the part now exposed was never designed to meet the outside world.
Emergency assessment £50, usually same day. How our emergency appointments work.
Do this now
Four things, in order.
1
Keep the crown
If a crown came off in one piece, rinse it and put it somewhere safe. We can often recement it, which is far cheaper than a new one.
2
Clean the tooth gently
Warm salt water after eating. Brush the area softly. Food packed into an open cavity is what causes the pain and the smell.
3
Cover it if it bothers you
Temporary filling material from a pharmacy, or a small piece of sugar-free gum, pressed into a lost filling stops the sensitivity. A crown can be sat back on with a dab of toothpaste or denture adhesive for a day or two. Never superglue.
4
Eat on the other side
Nothing hot, cold, sweet or sticky on that side. A tooth without its crown can crack under normal chewing.
Can it wait? Usually, but not for long
No pain, no sharp edge: ring us for a slot in the next couple of days. Leave it weeks and the exposed tooth decays, moves, or fractures, and a simple refit becomes a root canal or a new crown.
Sensitive to cold or sweet: the inner layer is exposed. Cover it and ring us for the next day or two.
Throbbing pain, a bad taste, or swelling: the nerve or root is involved. Same-day slot; the toothache guide covers tonight.
Swallowed the crown: it will pass harmlessly. Tell us, and we make a new one.
Do not do this
- Do not superglue a crown or a filling. It seals in bacteria, damages the tooth, and makes a proper refit far harder.
- Do not leave an open cavity uncovered for weeks.
- Do not keep chewing on that side to test whether it hurts.
- Do not assume a crown that came off with a piece of tooth inside it can simply go back on; bring it and we will see.
What happens when you ring us
We examine the problem, take any X-rays needed, get you out of pain, and give you a written price for anything further before it happens. For a lost filling or crown that usually means cleaning the tooth, checking for decay underneath, and either refitting the crown or placing a new filling on the same visit.
How it is fixed, and what it costs
A crown that has come off clean is usually recemented on the day. If decay has grown underneath, we clean it out and may need to make a new crown, £700, with a temporary in the meantime. A lost filling is replaced with a white composite filling from £140 once the cavity is cleaned and checked.
The emergency assessment is £50, X-rays £10 each, and you get the price for anything further in writing before we do it.
Go to A&E or call 999 instead of us if
- Swelling that is spreading to your eye, under your jaw or into your neck
- Any difficulty breathing, swallowing or opening your mouth
- A high temperature with a swollen face, or feeling very unwell
- Bleeding that will not stop after 20 minutes of firm pressure
- A blow to the face with a suspected broken jaw or a lost consciousness
Out of hours, ring the practice on 01788 579 577 and the answerphone tells you how to get urgent advice, or call NHS 111. A GP cannot treat a dental problem.
Questions people ask at 9pm
Can I glue my crown back on myself?
Not with superglue, ever. A dab of toothpaste or denture adhesive will hold it for a day or two until we recement it properly.
How long can a tooth go without a filling?
A few days is fine if it is clean and covered. Weeks is not: the exposed tooth decays and can fracture.
Does a lost filling hurt?
Often not at first. Sensitivity to cold and sweet is the usual sign, and pain means the nerve is now involved.
Will my crown fit again?
Usually, if it came off intact and the tooth underneath is sound. If decay has grown under it, a new crown may be needed.
Is a lost crown an emergency?
It is urgent rather than an emergency: aim to be seen within a day or two. Pain or swelling makes it a same-day job.
Ring us. Usually seen the same day.
Call before 10am for the best chance of a same-day slot. If today is genuinely full, we tell you straight away and book the earliest we have. You do not need to be registered with us.
Or book online · Read next: crowns and bridges · white fillings · toothache · Rugby Smiles Dental Clinic · 3 Newbold Road, Rugby CV21 2LQ