It’s no fun to get a broken tooth. A small crack or a chipped tooth creates an urgent dental situation that requires immediate attention. Plus, we have seen it all at West Meade Dental in Nashville and can help you get quickly on the road to recovery.
Many things can cause a broken tooth, such as:
- A sudden blow to the face or fall to the ground
- Chewing something hard, like ice or candy
- Pressure from teeth grinding
- Cavities and tooth decay that have made the tooth weak and prone to fracturing
Depending on the severity and type of break, repairing the tooth can be as quick as a single dental visit. However, in more complex cases, the process may require multiple appointments to ensure a complete and effective restoration.
Ways Teeth Can Fracture
The speed and type of treatment depend on the type of broken tooth you have. Below is a list of ways we categorize broken teeth, but each break is unique and requires its own diagnosis and treatment.
- A tooth with a crack in it is when there is a vertical line from the biting surface of your tooth to or beyond your gum line.
- Craze lines or hairline cracks are small and usually pain-free, appearing on the enamel only.
- A fracture in the cusp is when there is a fracture around a previous filling.
- Split teeth result when the fracture goes below the gum line and completely splits your entire tooth into two portions.
- A vertical root fracture starts at the bottom of the tooth and can gradually extend upward to the biting surface. As it progresses, it may lead to significant damage and require prompt treatment.
What To Do Right After A Broken Tooth
Your broken tooth may or may not be a dental emergency. First, signs of a dental emergency include severe pain, bleeding, signs of infection (swelling), or a completely or partially extracted tooth. If you are experiencing one of these situations, it is essential to contact us immediately during business hours or our dental emergency line if after hours.
If an entire tooth or portion of a tooth breaks off, it is critical to get seen as soon as possible. Furthermore, the longer the tooth is broken, you increase risk of pain and infection.
Treatments Available for Broken Teeth
There are several ways we can help treat a broken tooth. Some examples include:
- Applying filling or bonding material
- Cosmetic treatments like dental caps and crowns
- Dental veneers
Modern bonding materials allow us to quickly treat and harden new materials, like composite resin, over the breaks or cracks to bring the tooth back together. Moreover, if the tooth has a large amount of decay, which may have been the cause of the broken tooth, other procedures like crowns or veneers may be the best option. We can go over the options with you and help you pick the right solution for you.
