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Questions About Broken Tooth Treatment

Questions About Broken Tooth Treatment

While biting into hard candy or crunching on an ice cube, you realize there's something in your mouth that doesn't dissolve or go away. When you check with your tongue, your fear comes true: a broken tooth!

Scary scenario, isn't it?

Although the enamel that surrounds and protects your teeth is the hardest tissue in your body, its strength has its limits. Falling, receiving a blow to the face or jaw, or biting into something hard (especially if there's decay in the tooth) can lead to a broken tooth.

Sometimes the break can be small and harmless. Other times, it can cause the tooth to completely split or shatter. While this is more common in young children and the elderly, anyone can experience a broken tooth.

If you've noticed a similar unfortunate incident and realized your tooth is broken, there's no need to panic. You can contact the expert dental team at Dentaliva to receive the necessary treatment. Additionally, you can ask our customer representatives about the costs of broken tooth treatments.

What Causes a Broken Tooth?

The most common causes of tooth fractures are as follows:

  • Age: Anyone can experience a broken tooth, but most fractures occur in patients aged 50 and above.
  • Hard foods: Eating hard candy, trying to bite unpopped kernels in popcorn, or chewing ice can cause permanent damage to your teeth.
  • Trauma: Falling from a height, sports injuries, bicycle and car accidents, or exposure to physical violence.
  • Large fillings or root canal treatments that weaken the tooth.
  • Teeth grinding (Bruxism).

So, Which Teeth Are Most Likely to Break?

It is commonly known that patients often visit dentists for the treatment of broken front teeth. The molars located at the back of the lower jaw are also prone to breaking, especially when chewing hard items. Most people consult a dentist when a single tooth is broken, but in traumatic cases, multiple teeth can be fractured. People with tooth decay are more likely to experience broken teeth, even if they have been involved in a less severe accident.

What Happens If Your Tooth Breaks?

Broken teeth don't always lead to other health issues. However, if we were to list potential problems, it can be said that tooth fractures may cause the following:

  • High sensitivity to sweet foods or temperature changes (hot/cold).
  • Swelling around the affected area.
  • Tooth pain, especially when biting or chewing food.

Food particles entering the broken area can trigger bacterial growth. Let us also warn that this situation may lead to bad breath.

Which Parts of the Tooth Are at Risk of Breaking?

Our teeth consist of two main parts:

  • The crown, the visible layer above the gumline.
  • The root, which remains hidden within the gum.

Both the crown and root contain multiple layers:

  • Enamel: The hard, white outer layer of the tooth.
  • Dentin: A yellowish structure located in the middle layer of the tooth.
  • Pulp: Also known as the tooth's core, this soft inner tissue contains blood vessels and nerves.

Tooth fractures can negatively impact any or all of these layers. Therefore, the treatment method for a broken tooth is determined based on the severity of the fracture and the affected area.

Sensitivity and pain may be observed in a broken tooth, but some fractures show no symptoms at all. The earlier the intervention, the higher the success rate of treating a fractured tooth.

What Should You Be Careful About with a Broken Tooth?

As previously mentioned, it is recommended to see a dentist as soon as possible in cases of a broken tooth. Otherwise, the tooth may become infected, the fracture could worsen, and ultimately, the tooth might be completely lost.

Here are some precautions you can take until you can visit your dentist:

  • If your tooth is very painful, take a pain reliever containing paracetamol and rinse your mouth with salt water.
  • If the broken area has a sharp edge that your tongue catches on, you can cover the area with sugar-free gum. This can help prevent the broken tooth from cutting your lips, cheeks, or tongue.
  • If you need to eat before receiving treatment, it's important to consume soft foods and avoid biting with the broken tooth.

How Is a Broken Tooth Treated?

The location and size of the tooth fracture are key factors your dentist will consider to determine the appropriate treatment. In most cases, tooth fractures can be treated in a single appointment. However, treating severely damaged or completely broken teeth may take longer and be more costly.

Here are the most common treatment methods for broken teeth:

Filling:

If only a small part of your tooth is broken or if the enamel is damaged, your dentist may fill the gap with a filling. But what if it's your front tooth? Won't the filling look bad?

Don't worry! Dentists have a solution for that too: Dental bonding. This method, often used for broken front teeth, involves applying a tooth-colored resin to preserve your smile.

Bonding is a simple and effective treatment that often doesn't even require numbing the tooth. Your dentist will first smooth the surface of the broken tooth using a gel or liquid, then apply the resin. The filling is shaped to make the treated tooth look natural, and a blue ultraviolet light is used to harden the resin and bond it to the tooth.

If the broken tooth cannot be treated with a filling, other options are considered. The cost of treating a broken tooth depends on the chosen method.

Dental Crown (Cap):

If a significant trauma breaks a large portion of the tooth, or if there's extensive decay, your dentist may recommend a dental crown, commonly known as a cap. This method is especially used for treating broken molars.

In this procedure, your dentist will trim the broken tooth to create a smooth surface for the crown to fit on. The crown is then placed over the tooth, protecting it and restoring its appearance.

Permanent crowns can be made of metal, a metal-porcelain mix, resin, or ceramic. Each material has its advantages. For example, full-metal crowns are the most durable, while porcelain and resin crowns closely resemble natural teeth.

In some cases, the entire visible part of the tooth above the gum may be damaged. If the root remains intact, the dentist or orthodontist may perform a root canal treatment to strengthen the root and prepare it for the crown.

Crown application typically requires two appointments. During the first visit, your dentist will take an X-ray to examine the root and surrounding bone. If no serious issues are found, the tooth is numbed, and the fracture is completely cleaned to prepare for the crown.

You will then bite into a metal mold plate to take an impression. A temporary crown made of acrylic or thin metal is provided while the permanent crown is created in a lab. At the second appointment, usually 2-3 weeks later, the temporary crown is removed, and the permanent crown is fitted.

Veneer:

If your front tooth is broken, it can be difficult to smile as confidently as before. Veneers are one of the most effective methods to restore the integrity of your teeth.

Popular types of veneers include zirconium and laminate veneers. The cost of treating a broken front tooth varies depending on the veneer type you choose.

Veneers are made from tooth-colored porcelain or composite resin and are applied to the front surface of the tooth, much like a false nail placed over a natural nail.

To prepare the tooth, a thin layer of enamel (0.2 to 1.2 millimeters) is shaved off. The veneer is created in a lab within 1-2 weeks and then bonded to the tooth using a special adhesive. A chemical activation light is used to ensure a strong bond.

Root Canal Treatment:

In some advanced cases, the damage is so extensive that the pulp, located at the center of the tooth where blood vessels and nerves reside, becomes exposed. Bacteria from the mouth can infect this area. If your tooth aches, changes color, or becomes sensitive to heat, it's likely the pulp is damaged.

Over time, the pulp tissue may die, and if not removed, the tooth can become infected and may need to be extracted. A broken tooth can be saved with a root canal treatment, during which the dead pulp is removed and the root canal is cleaned.

Root canal treatments are performed by endodontists and are no more painful than a standard filling. After the procedure, a dental crown is often recommended to protect the tooth.

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