Broken Tooth: What Repair Options Would a Dentist Recommend?

A broken tooth is a dental trauma that affects the appearance of the smile and your confidence. Eating hard foods like sweets or ice cubes, falling incidents, tooth damage, or cavities are common reasons for tooth breakage. Fortunately, thanks to improved technology, patients can now achieve a solution to most oral issues. If a patient has a broken or cracked tooth, they need to see a dentist as soon as possible. The dentist will properly advise them on the best treatment choice for their problem.

Repair options for a broken tooth

The following are some of the dental treatment options for broken teeth:

Dental crown

The dentist will recommend a dental crown to cover the damaged tooth completely. It functions as a cap and fortifies the tooth against further damage. A dental crown can also restore the contour and look of the teeth. Crowns are often constructed of metal, porcelain, or ceramic. Fixing decaying or damaged teeth with dental crowns is regarded as the safest choice by dentists.

To place a dental crown, the dentist will need to first prepare the damaged tooth. A root canal treatment may be needed first. After the preliminary prep, the dentist will take impressions of the tooth to produce a custom-made dental crown.

Dental bonding

Many dentists consider bonding to be the simplest dental treatment for repairing a broken tooth. To repair and enhance the look of the tooth, dentists employ a simple block of composite material. The composite molding is then hardened, and the tooth is fixed using a blue light.

Root canal treatment

Teeth breakage leaves the tooth vulnerable to infection. Once infection sets in and affects the tooth pulp, there is a risk of tooth loss. The dentist will typically recommend root canal therapy to repair the damaged teeth. This process removes the pulp and nerves inside the tooth to eliminate the infection. A root canal procedure is also typically done before the placement of dental crowns.

Dental veneers

If only a small portion of the tooth is broken, the dentist may recommend using custom-made veneers made from porcelain or composite resin. Veneers are one of the most common cosmetic and restorative treatments for improving the smile. If the broken tooth also has other flaws like discoloration, the veneers will cover them up to restore the tooth’s natural appearance.

Dental implants

If the tooth is severely broken and beyond saving, perhaps the damage is along the gum line or affects the pulp; the dentist might recommend extracting the damaged tooth and replacing it with an implant in a straightforward procedure. The implant will be embedded in the jawbone and serves as a support for a prosthetic crown.

Choosing between repair or replacement

When a tooth has suffered just slight damage, such as a chip, the dentist will usually recommend a repair since the tooth is still structurally and functionally healthy enough. In these situations, the tooth will be restored to its best possible condition using one of the numerous available tooth restoration treatments.

Sometimes the tooth's structure is so severely compromised or weakened by factors like a deep fracture, a massive chip, or advanced tooth rot that its removal and replacement with an artificial tooth is the safest option. A tooth replacement is likely necessary if keeping the tooth in situ might lead to the spread of infection or other complications.

If the damage fits between these categories, the dentist will suggest a course of therapy that takes into account both the symptoms and the underlying cause. In the case of a chipped tooth sustained in a sports accident, for instance, the dentist may propose a custom-fitted sports mouthguard in addition to a repair to restore the tooth's normal function and protect it from further harm.

The primary treatment for tooth damage is usually repair if the dentist determines that the tooth may be saved by restoring the affected section. When the damage is extensive, however, a complete replacement is advisable.

Fixing a broken tooth

In general, a cracked, fractured, or broken tooth may constitute a dental emergency, depending on the extent of the damage. It is critical to get treatment from a dentist as soon as possible. This will allow the dentist to evaluate the tooth and determine the best dental treatment choice. Book a dental appointment today to learn more about handling a broken tooth.

Request an appointment here: https://www.leedentistryoxford.com or call Lee Family and Cosmetic Dentistry at (662) 546-1143 for an appointment in our Oxford office.

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