Temporary Cement: The Overlooked Step That Often Determines Crown Success
Temporary Doesn't Mean Unimportant A patient once walked back into my clinic two days after a crown preparation, holding her temporary crown carefully in a tissue. She wasn't angry, but she was worried. The tooth felt sensitive, she couldn't chew properly, and she had already lost confidence in the treatment before the final crown had even reached the laboratory. The preparation was fine. The impression was fine. The laboratory work later came back beautifully. But the temporary phase had failed. Most dentists learn this lesson at least once: a temporary restoration is not just a placeholder. It protects the prepared tooth, maintains space, preserves gingival health, helps the patient function, and gives the clinician time to move confidently towards final crown cementation. And right at the centre of that temporary phase is temporary cement . In crown and bridge dentistry, dental temporary cement has to perform a delicate job. It must hold the provisional restoration se...