Temporary crowns: what to expect
On a crown trip, there are a few days between the tooth being prepared and the final crown being fitted. You spend those days in temporary crowns. Knowing what they are like makes that part of the week much easier.
Medically reviewed by Dt. Hüseyin Yavuz Özbek, implant surgeon · Updated October 2026Temporary crowns are short-term plastic or resin caps that protect your prepared teeth for the few days while the final crowns are made. They look reasonably natural but feel a little bulkier, and they are fixed with a weaker cement on purpose so they can be removed easily. Eat softer food, avoid sticky and very hard things, slide floss out sideways rather than pulling it up, and contact the clinic if one comes loose: keep it, and do not glue it back with household glue.
Temporary crowns are part of almost every crown treatment, and knowing what to expect from them takes a lot of the worry out of a crown trip. They are not the final result, they are not meant to be perfect, and they only need to do their job for a few days. This guide explains why they are used, how they feel, what you can eat, how to keep them clean, and exactly what to do if one comes off.
Why temporary crowns are needed
To fit a crown, the dentist shapes the tooth so the new crown can sit over it. The Oral Health Foundation describes the usual sequence: the tooth is shaped, a temporary crown is fitted to protect it, the final crown is made in a dental laboratory, and then it is checked and fixed in place.
A prepared tooth needs that protection. Without it, the tooth would be sensitive to cold and air, it could chip, and the gum around it could creep over the edge. The neighbouring and opposite teeth could also start to shift into the space. A temporary keeps everything where it should be until the final crown is ready.
At our clinic, the prepared teeth are scanned with an intraoral scanner and the lab makes the final crowns from that scan. The temporaries bridge the gap between scan and fitting.
What temporary crowns are made of
Temporaries are usually made of acrylic or a composite resin. They are strong enough for normal careful eating, but much weaker than zirconia or E-max. They are also fixed with a temporary cement that is designed to let go when the dentist wants it to. That is deliberate: the dentist needs to remove them cleanly on fitting day without harming the tooth.
This is the single most useful thing to remember. A temporary is meant to come off. If it does so a little early, it is a nuisance, not a disaster.
How they look and feel
- Slightly bulkier. Temporaries are often a touch thicker than the final crowns, so your tongue will notice them.
- Less natural shine. They tend to look flatter and more opaque than real teeth or ceramic crowns.
- Not your final shape or shade. In a smile makeover, the final crowns follow the design and trial smile agreed with you, not the temporaries.
- A slightly different bite. Your teeth may meet a little differently. If one tooth hits first, tell us and it can be adjusted.
- Speech. If several front teeth are in temporaries, “s” and “f” sounds may feel odd for a day or so. This usually settles quickly.
If you are having many crowns at once, you will see a full set of temporary teeth for a few days. It is normal for them to look plainer than you hoped. Judge the result on fitting day, not on the temporaries.
What you can eat
You do not need a liquid diet. You do need to be a little careful.
| Usually fine | Best avoided |
|---|---|
| Soft fish, chicken, rice, pasta | Toffee, caramel, chewing gum |
| Soups, eggs, yoghurt | Hard nuts, boiled sweets, ice |
| Well-cooked vegetables | Crusty bread, hard crackers |
| Soft fruit like banana or melon | Biting into whole apples or corn on the cob |
| Lukewarm drinks | Very hot or ice-cold drinks if teeth are sensitive |
A few habits help a lot. Cut food into small pieces. Chew on the side without temporaries if you can. If your front teeth are in temporaries, do not bite into food with them, put pieces straight to your back teeth. Turkish food has plenty of soft options, from lentil soup to grilled fish and mezes, so eating out is not a problem.
Cleaning around temporary crowns
Gums around temporaries can become puffy if plaque builds up, and healthy gums on fitting day make for a better fit. Research on fixed crowns and bridges consistently links plaque at the crown edge with gum inflammation, so cleaning matters even for a few days.
- Brush twice a day with a soft brush, gently, with the brush angled at the gum line.
- Floss, but slide the floss out sideways instead of pulling it back up. Lifting it upwards can catch the edge of the temporary and pop it off.
- Small interdental brushes are a gentle alternative to floss.
- Rinse with warm salty water if the gum feels sore.
- Avoid strong whitening toothpaste and very abrasive products.
Sensitivity: what is normal
Some sensitivity is common. A prepared tooth has lost much of its enamel cover, and temporaries do not seal as tightly as final crowns, so cold drinks or cold air can give a short twinge. This usually fades once the final crowns are cemented.
Contact us if:
- pain is throbbing, constant or keeps you awake
- a tooth hurts sharply when you bite
- the gum swells or you notice a bad taste
- a temporary feels loose or rocks
These can be checked quickly while you are still in Antalya.
If a temporary crown comes off
Do not worry. It happens, and it is easy to sort out.
- Keep it Rinse it, dry it, and keep it in a small box or tissue. It can usually be put back.
- Message us Send a WhatsApp message to your coordinator, with a photo if you can. While you are in Antalya, we will arrange a time to put it back on.
- Protect the tooth Avoid chewing on that side and avoid very cold drinks until it is back on.
- Do not use household glue Never use superglue or any household adhesive. It can damage the tooth and the gum and make the final fit harder.
- Short-term fix if needed If you are travelling or it is late, a temporary dental cement from a chemist can hold it in place briefly. Follow the packet instructions and still let us know.
Temporaries after root canal treatment
If a tooth has had root canal treatment, it may have a temporary filling between visits before the crown stage. The NHS notes that a temporary filling is often used between appointments and that a crown may be needed if the tooth was badly infected. The same care applies: chew gently on that side and let us know if the filling feels rough or falls out. Read is root canal treatment painful?
Temporary teeth after implant surgery are different
Patients having All-on-4 or All-on-6 full-arch treatment also get temporary teeth, but these are fixed temporary teeth attached to the implants after surgery, worn during the healing months until the second trip. That is a different situation with its own aftercare, explained on our All-on-4 page. All-on-4® is a trademark of Nobel Biocare; we are not affiliated with any implant maker. This article is about temporaries on your own prepared teeth.
Fitting day
When the final crowns arrive from the lab, the dentist removes the temporaries, cleans the teeth and tries the new crowns in. You will see them in place before anything is fixed, so you can check the shape and colour. The bite is checked and adjusted, then the crowns are cemented. You leave with written aftercare and the details of your guarantee: crowns and bridges carry a 5-year written guarantee, see our guarantee page.
Most patients notice straight away that the final crowns feel slimmer and smoother than the temporaries.
Planning a crown trip
If you are thinking about crowns, send us photos and a recent X-ray if you have one. A dentist will review them and send a written plan with an itemised price and an outline of your week, including when the temporaries go on and when the final crowns are fitted. There is no charge for the plan. Use our contact form or message us on WhatsApp. You can also read about our crowns and zirconia crowns.
Common questions
How long will I wear temporary crowns?
On a typical crown trip with us, a few days. Crowns and smile makeovers usually take one trip of about five to seven days, and the temporaries go on after the teeth are prepared and come off when the final crowns are fitted.
Will my temporary crowns look like my final ones?
No. Temporaries are usually a little thicker, less translucent and sometimes a slightly different shade. The final crowns are made to the shape and shade agreed in your plan.
Can I go out to eat with temporary crowns?
Yes. Choose softer dishes, cut food into small pieces and chew mainly with your back teeth if the temporaries are at the front. Avoid toffee, chewing gum, crusty bread and hard nuts.
Is it normal for teeth to feel sensitive under temporaries?
Some sensitivity to cold, or to air when you breathe in, is common. Prepared teeth have less enamel cover and temporaries do not seal as tightly as final crowns. Tell us if you have throbbing pain or pain that wakes you.
What if a temporary crown comes off at night?
Keep it safe and message us on WhatsApp in the morning. If the tooth is sensitive or the gap shows, a temporary dental cement from a UK chemist can hold it for a short time. Never use superglue.
Sources
- Oral Health Foundation: Crowns
- NHS: Root canal treatment
- Journal of Functional Biomaterials (2022): fixed prosthetic restorations and periodontal health, a narrative review
Checked October 2026. Where we give our own view as a clinic, we say so.
Get your treatment plan and price in writing
Send a few photos of your teeth or a recent X-ray. One of our dentists looks at it and you get an itemised plan before you book anything.