Another dentist asked me, “What temporary cement do you use so your temporary crowns actually stay on?”

The cement I like is TempoCem from DMG America. It is easy to utilize and clean. But there is a more important question than what type of material I like to use. It is: “What is going on with the tooth before the prep is begun?”

I have found that the reason temporaries come off is because something in the functional movement of the patient’s mouth is interfering with the tooth. Before prepping a tooth for a temporary, I anticipate I may need to re-design the tooth first.

Before prepping the tooth, I take an intraoral photo of the bite marks to understand what is going on functionally. I explain to the patient what I am looking for and show the patient the evidence of excursive interferences on the tooth. My goal is to design the provisional and the crown to decrease the forces and increase the functionality of the tooth. I then modify the tooth and take another intraoral photo of the bite marks to show the patient the changes before making the impression of the natural tooth.

I realize many dentists check the bite marks and modify the tooth prior to making an impression without the added step of photography and patient education. But I suggest you try using before and after photo images chairside to educate your patients. This process engages the patient in understanding how their teeth function and why there has been damage to the tooth. I’ve learned it also “opens their eyes” and increases their appreciation for the additional dentistry I recommend based on my comprehensive examination of their mouth and diagnosis.