How To Fix A Broken Tooth? Protecting Tooth From Further Damage

What To Do Immediately After Breaking A Tooth?

If you become aware of a crack, chip, or fracture in your tooth, the first thing you should do is contact your emergency dentist for an appointment. You won’t be able to tell if it is a dental emergency, so it needs to be checked professionally. Not addressing the fracture could lead to an infection, or you even losing the tooth.

Practice self-care while you wait for your appointment by

• Taking pain medication if necessary
• In the event that the break has left a sharp or jagged edge, cover it up with a protective layer of dental wax. If this is not available, try some sugar-free chewing gum
• If you do need to eat, try to bite and chew on the opposite side of your mouth.

How To Fix A Broken Tooth?

Your dentist will have to evaluate the damage and may recommend one of the following treatments to restore it:

Dental bonding

A small chip in your dental enamel could be repaired with a dental filling. If one of your front teeth has broken, your dentist may use tooth-coloured resin in a procedure called dental bonding. This is a relatively quick fix that can be completed in one visit.

Dental crowns or caps

If the damage is more extensive and a piece of your tooth has broken off, your dentist will need to protect the broken tooth from further damage and decay. To do this, he or she will make a cover or cap, known as a dental crown. This will be fitted over the tooth structure to build it up to its original shape and size.

Dental veneers

If your tooth is cracked or fractured, a dental veneer can restore its appearance by covering it up. The veneer will be made thicker at the site of the breakage.

Root canal therapy

Sometimes a tooth is cracked or broken without you knowing about it. Over time, bacteria can enter the pulp of your tooth and cause infection. If this has happened, your dentist may recommend root canal therapy to clean out the infected tooth pulp, clean the canals and seal the tooth up again to prevent reinfection. A root canal is often a dental emergency that needs to be tended to by an emergency dentist.

If your tooth has been knocked out, this is a dental emergency that requires urgent action. Try to find the tooth and take it to your emergency dentist immediately. If you can get there within 30 minutes, your emergency dentist may be able to reinsert your tooth into the socket.

For immediate assistance with a dental emergency or for help with how to fix a broken tooth, please contact us: (02) 4210 9078

References

Repairing a Chipped or Broken Tooth
https://www.webmd.com/oral-health/guide/repairing-a-chipped-or-broken-tooth

What to Do If You Chip or Break a Tooth
https://www.healthline.com/health/how-to-fix-a-chipped-tooth