A broken tooth or tooth fracture is a crack or break in your tooth’s enamel. At Gordon Family Dental, we encounter tooth fractures daily at our practice. Tooth fractures are more common in the back molars, patients over 40, and post-menopausal women. Depending on the size and location of the fracture, you may need an emergency dentist.
If you have sustained facial trauma or damaged your tooth, you may wonder how to fix a broken tooth? Learn how to restore your smile with Gordon Family Dental.
When is a Broken Tooth a Dental Emergency?
A broken tooth is a dental emergency if you are experiencing pain or bleeding, the break extends to the gum line, or if the tooth has been knocked out. If you experience any of these symptoms, visit an emergency dentist immediately.
You should also visit an emergency dentist if you experience dental trauma that impacts your jaw and cannot bring your upper and lower teeth together.
If you sustained only minor damage to the tooth, you may not need to see an emergency dentist but should have the tooth treated as soon as possible. If a broken tooth remains untreated, the fracture can deepen, and the tooth may have to be extracted.
How to Fix a Broken Tooth: Dental Bonding
If only a small amount of tooth enamel is chipped, it can easily be repaired with dental bonding. This non-invasive cosmetic dental treatment requires no anaesthetic and only takes a few minutes.
Your dentist matches the composite resin to the affected tooth and etches the area that needs to be repaired before applying a bonding agent. Your dentist then adds the composite resin to the tooth and shapes it to repair the damage before curing it with a UV light.
How to Fix a Broken Tooth: Fillings
If your tooth broke due to decay, your dentist may recommend a dental filling to rebuild the tooth after removing the damaged tissue.
At Gordon Family Dental, we use tooth-coloured composite fillings designed to blend seamlessly with your natural teeth. After the tooth is prepared, your dentist applies a chemical etching agent to roughen the area of the tooth to be filled. This allows the composite to form a stronger bond to the tooth. The composite is then applied in thin layers, and each layer is hardened using a curing light.
How to Fix a Broken Tooth: Dental Crowns
If a large fracture involves one or more tooth cusps, your dentist may recommend a dental crown. Dental crowns are a tooth-coloured cap that covers the entire tooth surface, providing strength and restoring the tooth’s structural integrity.
In addition to traditional crowns, we also offer same-day CEREC crowns at our practice, so you spend less time in the dental chair and leave your appointment with a fully restored smile.
How to Fix a Broken Tooth: Dental Implants
Unfortunately, sometimes a broken tooth can’t be saved because the fracture extends below the gum line. In this situation, your dentist removes the tooth. Dental implants are the optimal choice for missing tooth replacement.
A dental implant is a tiny biocompatible titanium post that is surgically inserted into your jawbone using computer-guided technology. Once the site heals in about 3-6 months, it is reopened to attach the abutment, which takes two weeks to heal. The implant is then topped with a dental crown for a natural-looking and functional prosthetic tooth.
Contact an Emergency Dentist
At Gordon Family Dental, we understand that a dental emergency can occur at any time, and that is why we offer same-day emergency dentistry. If you have an out-of-hours dental emergency and need an emergency dentist, call us on (02) 9159 6163.
Note: Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding, you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.
References
Women are periodontally healthier than men, but why don’t they have more teeth than men?
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17917610/
Dental injury
https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/dental-injury
A cracked tooth can happen to anyone and, in some cases, is a dental emergency. Depending on the extent of the crack, it can cause Read more
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