Crunching on ice or hard candy can be a satisfying experience, but it can also be dangerous. If you’re not careful, you could end up with a broken tooth. Broken teeth can be embarrassing, painful, and expensive to fix. But the good news is that there are steps you can take to prevent broken teeth. And yes, when one or several teeth break, it’s something you need to address right away. Such injuries can result in far more severe issues than just a broken tooth, such as tooth decay, infection, and extraction. Scared? Goosebumps!!
But don’t worry; we are here to help you. Our team of dentists will do everything to keep your smile healthy and beautiful.
What are Broken Teeth?
A broken tooth, also known as a cracked or fractured tooth, can result from various factors such as age, tooth grinding, natural wear and tear, sports injuries, large cavities, or lost fillings. If you have a cracked or chipped tooth, it is important to see the dentist as soon as possible to avoid further damage.
Symptoms of Broken Teeth
The symptoms of broken teeth can vary depending on the severity of the break. Common symptoms include
- Pain while chewing or biting
- Sensitivity of hot or cold food and drinks
- Sharp edges on a tooth
- A noticeable crack or chip in the teeth
- Swelling of the gums around the tooth
- Bleeding gums
Causes of Broken Teeth
The major causes of tooth breakage include:
- Trauma: Accidents, falls, or sports-related injuries can all result in a broken tooth. The force of impact might break or chip a tooth.
- Tooth decay: Teeth that have been weakened due to untreated cavities are more prone to breaking. Tooth decay erodes the enamel, making the tooth more susceptible to harm.
- Biting down on hard objects: Biting on ice, unpopped popcorn kernels, or opening bottles with your teeth can cause fractures or breaks.
- Teeth grinding (Bruxism): Teeth grinding or clenching, especially when sleeping, can wear down enamel and lead to tooth fractures.
- Temperature change: A sudden temperature change can even crack a tooth, for example, while drinking hot tea or coffee.
Do all Teeth break the same Way?
No, teeth can crack in a variety of ways.
- Cracked tooth: A cracked tooth is a break in the tooth that runs from the top to the bottom. It may or may not go below the gumline. Typically, the inside of the tooth is injured.
- Craze lines: Tiny cracks on the outer enamel of teeth are common and painless, and they are called craze lines. Craze lines do not require treatment.
- Cracked cusp: The cusp is the pointed tip of the chewing surface of a tooth. If the cusp is damaged, the tooth may break, causing a sharp pain when biting.
- Split tooth: Vertical tooth fractures are cracks that start in the root of a tooth and extend towards the chewing surface. They are often the result of an untreated cracked tooth, which eventually splits into two parts.
Prevention Tips
There are a number of things you can do to help prevent broken teeth, including:
- Avoid biting down on hard objects, such as ice, unpopped popcorn kernels, and hard candy.
- If you grind your teeth, talk to the dentist about getting a mouth guard.
- Schedule your appointment regularly for dental checkups and cleanings to avoid any oral health issues.
What Should You Do If You Have a Broken Tooth?
The first thing you should do if you have a broken tooth is to clean your mouth with warm water to eliminate any food or debris. If the break is sharp, you should cover it with sugarless gum or dental wax to avoid hurting your tongue or lips.
Following that, contact your dentist as soon as possible to book an appointment. Tell them you have a broken tooth so they can schedule your appointment and prepare for your treatment.
Treatment for a Broken Tooth
The treatment for a broken tooth depends on how badly it is broken. For a minor break, a dentist may be able to fix it with a filling or bonding. But for a more severe break, you may need a crown, root canal, or even to have the tooth removed.
Minor breaks can be repaired with filling, bonding, or cosmetic contouring.
- Fillings: They are made of a variety of materials, such as composite resin, amalgam, and gold.
- Bonding: It is a process in which a tooth-coloured resin is applied to the tooth and cured with a special light.
- Cosmetic contouring: It is a procedure that can be used to fix small chips in teeth. The rough edges of the tooth are rounded and polished to blend in.
More severe breaks may require a crown, root canal, or extraction.
- Crowns: They are caps that are placed over teeth to protect them and restore their function and appearance. They can be made of a variety of materials, such as porcelain, metal, and porcelain-fused-to-metal.
- Root canals: These are procedures that are performed to remove the infected or inflamed pulp from teeth. The pulp is the soft tissue that contains the tooth’s nerves and blood vessels. Once the pulp has been removed, the tooth is cleaned and sealed.
- Extractions: These are procedures to remove teeth from the mouth. They may be necessary if teeth are severely damaged or infected.
It is important to see a dentist as soon as possible if you have a broken tooth. The dentist will assess the damage and recommend the best course of treatment.
Ready to have Damage Tooth Repaired?
Your teeth should remain strong and healthy if you practice proper preventative oral health care, but even the healthiest teeth can break when accidents happen. If your tooth breaks, please contact The Dental Lounges Clinic as soon as possible by calling 02030344044 or visiting our Wimbledon clinic.
