Chipping or fracturing a tooth is a common reason for an emergency visit to a dental office. If you bite down on something hard or fall and hit your teeth, you might break a part of your tooth, or your entire tooth may become fractured. However, it is not something to worry about, as there are several ways to fix a broken or chipped tooth.
Dental smile designing has introduced transformative procedures that can completely change a person’s aesthetic and repair a broken or chipped tooth, restoring it to its normal state.
Table of Contents
Reasons for a Chipped or Broken Tooth
Teeth are strong structures and are difficult to break. However, accidents happen, and any trauma with significant force can damage a tooth.
- Trauma: This is the most common reason for breakage and damage to tooth structure and is often seen in children. Kids can lose control while playing and may not be aware of the consequences. A direct blow to the mouth from a fall can lead to tooth injury. In adults, car accidents or sports injuries are more common causes of breakage and fracture.
- Biting on Hard Substances: Biting on hard food, such as bones, ice cubes, or opening a bottle lid with your teeth, can easily break the tooth.
- Teeth Grinding or Bruxism: Bruxism is a para-functional habit that is immensely destructive for the tooth structure. It imparts abnormal pressure and force on the tooth structure that leads to breakage, fracture, and attrition.
- Tooth Decay: Poor oral hygiene causes bacterial invasion in the oral cavity. These bacteria are responsible for the decay of tooth structure. This is, however, a slow process. Over time the tooth weakens and results in breakage even with normal biting forces.
Symptoms and Signs Common After Broken and Chipped Tooth
The signs and symptoms that appear after a tooth breaks depend on the extent of the fracture. Slight chipping from the outer layer typically does not present any symptoms, only interfering with appearance. However, if the fracture extends into a deeper layer, classic symptoms such as pain and sensitivity may arise.
Sensitivity:
Out of the three components of the tooth, the outer layer is resistant to any sensitivity and is mostly made up of inorganic structure. If the breakage is up to the deeper layers, your teeth will become sensitive to cold and hot with time.
Pain:
The innermost pulp chamber is highly sensitive, as it contains all the nerves and blood vessels. If the pulp is expose, you will experience pain while chewing or drinking. If neglected, it becomes a serious issue that medicine alone cannot resolve.
Swelling:
Swelling is a sign of infection or an abscess caused when bacteria reach the root area of the tooth. Immediate swelling is often observe in trauma cases following a fracture.
Treatments for Broken or Chipped Teeth
The dentist selects the treatment according to the extent of the fracture or breakage. Various smile-designing procedures include filling the broken part or masking the defect.
Dental Bonding
If there are no symptoms of pain and the chipping does not extend into the pulp cavity, dental bonding is a good option. This procedure involves restoring the tooth structure using a tooth-colored material called composite resin. It is used to rebuild and restore the broken tooth while matching the shade of your natural tooth. This smile design dentistry procedure is quick, typically taking only 1 to 2 hours to complete. It can last many years if the patient takes precautions and follows their dentist’s instructions.
Dental Veneers
These are among the more popular options in dental smile designing. They completely transform appearance and enhance function with minimal reduction of tooth structure. Dental veneers are essentially shell-like structures made of porcelain that cover only the front surface of the teeth. They are best suite for masking defects such as chipping, broken fragments of teeth, gaps between the teeth, or discoloration.
Veneers are a permanent solution that can last up to 15 to 20 years if proper hygiene is maintain. This procedure requires multiple visits and takes longer than a dental bonding procedure.
Crown Placement
Among the smile designs dentistry, crowns are conventionally use to support severely damaged tooth structures after endodontic treatment. However, if a large part of the tooth is broken or chipp for any reason, crowns are recommend to provide support for the damage tooth. The material used for the crown depends on the tooth’s location and the patient’s budget.
Crowns enhance the lifespan of the broken tooth and also restore essential functions like chewing.
Root Canal Treatment
Teeth that exhibit symptoms such as pain or swelling are often infect. After pulp exposure, it is more likely that bacteria can seep into the soft tissue and cause infection around the root and in the gum tissue. In such cases, root canal treatment is require before restoring the tooth.
This procedure involves the removal of the entire pulp tissue from the tooth and typically requires the placement of a crown once the tooth has healed.
Dental Implant
Some teeth are beyond saving. In cases of trauma, sometimes the entire tooth gets knock out, or most of it is broken beyond repair. These situations are often better handle by extracting the broken fragment and replacing the tooth with a more effective option, such as a dental implant. This procedure is the epitome of dental smile designing, as it replicates the natural tooth in all aspects, enhancing both appearance and function.
Conclusion
Breaking or chipping a tooth is an alarming issue that requires immediate attention from your dentist. While accidents can happen unexpectedly, you can eliminate other harmful habits and maintain good oral hygiene with relative ease.
If you have a broken or chipped tooth, don’t hesitate to visit us at Anoka Dental in MN right away. Our skill cosmetic dentist are experience in managing such complications with the highest level of precision and care.
Schedule an appointment today to learn more about dental smile designing and your options!
For immediate assistance, contact us by phone at (763) 421-4002 or visit us at 12 Bridge Square #106, MN 55303. Allow us to assist you in regaining your confident smile!
