Do you have a broken or cracked tooth
Our teeth are incredibly strong! But the stresses and strains of everyday life can cause them to crack or break.
Dental fractures can arise from many different factors. For example, chewing on hard foods can exert pressure and lead to a break. Also, teeth clenching and grinding contributes to the weakening of teeth, which makes them more prone to fractures. Accident and injuries sustained during sports activities are also common causes of broken or cracked teeth.
Neglected cavities pose another risk… Untreated cavities can cause a tooth to become brittle over time. Furthermore, the impact of aging on large amalgam fillings can make the remaining natural tooth structure more susceptible to brittleness and potential fractures. It is crucial to be aware of these various factors to promote dental health and prevent the occurrence of fractures.
Broken teeth can cause varying degrees of pain. These have a wide range and include situations where it is extremely painful, to situations where discomfort is triggered by hot or cold food. However, we need to prevent further damage or infection, as this could result in loss of the tooth. Treatment of a broken or chipped tooth will depend on how severely it is damaged. For small breaks or chips, it may be possible to repair in a single visit with a simple filling or bonding. For more severe breaks, multiple visits may be required to repair the break with more complex treatments.
Your treatment options
Minor chips do not typically cause immediate discomfort or issues. In these cases, we will likely undertake a repair procedure, smoothing the chipped edge and applying a tooth-coloured filling. This approach aims to prevent any potential harm, ensuring that the chip doesn’t pose a risk of cutting your lips or tongue.
For more severe fractures and extensive breaks, a more intricate treatment may be necessary. Instances where a large cavity leads to significant fractures, causing pain and potential infection, may require root canal treatment. Cracks and breaks may expose nerve endings that can result in sensitivity to hot and cold air and foods.
Nevertheless, root canal treatment may not always be necessary for chipped or broken teeth. In situations where there is no pain or infection, our dentists can fill cracks and bind them together using special tooth cement. A broken tooth, on the other hand, can be effectively restored with a tooth crown. This crown will also serve as a protective measure against further cracks. In cases where a tooth has decayed from the inside-out and is now broken, we may recommend removal.
It’s essential to note that even if a cracked or broken tooth doesn’t cause immediate discomfort, you should not overlook it. Timely investigation by your dentist is crucial, as untreated issues could potentially lead to infections.
How long will treatment take and what is the outlook
The timeframe for repairing a broken tooth varies depending on your specific circumstances and plan of treatment. The dentist will communicate this to you at your initial consultation. If you need crowns, you will typically have one appointment for preparation and another one within 2 weeks for fitting the crown. If you require an extraction, this can typically be carried out at the same session but you will be considering replacement options such as dental implants which take longer.
With prompt treatment, repaired teeth can last for years without issues. But even with treatment, tooth cracks may sometimes continue to get bigger or split. This can result in tooth loss further down the line.
Contact Pearl Dental Clinic today for expert emergency dental care. Call us on 02085479997 or book an appointment online.
