Fortunately, most of the time, broken teeth can be fixed. The type of treatment applied will depend on the extent of the damage done. It’s important to realise that a broken tooth is often a dental emergency, so make sure you visit an emergency dentist as soon as possible to have it checked out. That way, you can avoid complications and look forward to simpler, more affordable treatment. In this post, we will examine how can broken teeth be fixed, and the types of treatments that your emergency dentist might apply.
Causes Of Chipped, Broken And Fractured Teeth
Sometimes trauma to the mouth can cause a tooth to be cracked or fractured. Other times, dental decay can weaken a tooth, making it more susceptible to damage. Regardless of the cause, you should seek professional help to avoid complications like infections.
How Can Broken Teeth Be Fixed: What Are The Options?
There are a number of treatment options available for a broken tooth. Once an emergency dentist has evaluated you, he or she may recommend:
Polishing
Sometimes, broken teeth that have suffered a chip around the edges can be polished out and made symmetrical.
Dental bonding for broken teeth
Dental bonding could be an option if the broken tooth only has a small amount of superficial damage. A composite material will be layered into the crack or chip and hardened with a blue light.
Dental crowns
If your broken tooth has sustained significant damage and is at risk of future decay or more damage, your dentist may recommend a dental crown. This is a cap that is placed over your tooth, to restore its form and function. It will build the tooth up and protect it.
Dental veneers
Broken teeth located close to the front of your mouth can be covered up with dental veneers. These are very thin shells that essentially cover imperfections up.
They can be made out of composite material or porcelain and will restore the aesthetics and symmetry of your smile.
Root canal treatment
If you have had a broken tooth for a while, or if the crack or chip penetrates deep into your tooth, it’s possible that your dental pulp has become infected. In days gone by, infected teeth had to be extracted, but a root canal treatment will allow your dentist to clean the infected material out, fill the canals and seal the tooth up to prevent reinfection. A dental crown may be placed over your tooth to protect it.
Tooth extraction with a dental implant
If your broken teeth are beyond saving, or if your tooth has been knocked out and can’t be put back into the socket, tooth extractions can be considered as a last resort. Because you need all your teeth to prevent bone resorption and drifting, it’s advisable to consider a dental implant to replace them as soon as possible.
If you are having a dental emergency or would like to know more about how can broken teeth be fixed, please contact us for urgent assistance: (02) 4210 9078
References
Repairing a Chipped or Broken Tooth
https://www.webmd.com/oral-health/guide/repairing-a-chipped-or-broken-tooth
Can A Tooth Crack In Half And Be Fixed?
https://www.colgate.com/en-us/oral-health/dental-emergencies-and-sports-safety/tooth-cracked-in-half-can-it-be-fixed#
If you’ve found this post, you’ve probably been searching for toothache relief tips, which we will help you with. But, Read more
Tooth decay progresses in stages, but if it is treated early enough, you have treatment options to preserve your natural Read more