Broken Front Tooth? Here’s What You Need to Know
One of the worst dental experiences is breaking a tooth. Breaking a front tooth is especially traumatic. With your front tooth broken, you may struggle to eat or talk. Additionally, you may be embarrassed about the way your smile looks.
If you break your front tooth, you may be in a state of panic. Nobody plans for a dental emergency after all. Continue reading to learn more about what to expect after a tooth fracture and what you can do about it.
What Happens When a Tooth Breaks?
When you experience a broken tooth, you may notice sudden exposure of your tooth’s root or pulp. This exposure can make the break painful. Even in cases when no roots are on display, you may feel some pain.
Teeth break for a variety of reasons. One of the biggest reasons is because of an injury to the face. Sports like football and basketball commonly lead to injuries, but even walking and falling can cause a break.
You may also experience a break as a result of tooth decay. Many people possess weak teeth due to untreated dental decay. Eroded dental enamel can lead to serious consequences.
In other cases, breaks are the result of dental repairs failing. If you have a dental bridge, you may experience some cracking over time. The good news is that these repairs are often simpler than repairing the actual teeth.
Sometimes food is to blame for the injury. The most common culprits include ice and hard candies, but sweets can also cause decay. Beware of biting into hard food items.
What Should You Do After Breaking a Tooth?
If you have a broken tooth, you should seek dental treatment right away. Enamel is extremely tough and does not break unless under extreme circumstances, so breaks are a clear indication that you have a problem.
In the meantime, you can take an over-the-counter pain reliever like acetaminophen. You can also put ice outside your mouth if you experience swelling.
Failure to treat a broken tooth leads to complications, including infection and intense pain. If you notice signs of dental infection, like pus, swelling, or severe pain, see your dentist immediately
What Will the Dentist Do for a Broken Tooth?
If you have a broken tooth, your dentist will most likely take some x-rays. The x-rays will lend insight into a possible treatment plan to fix your tooth and prevent any other issues from arising. For the most part, a dentist wants to save the original teeth whenever possible.
A small break or chip may just require some bonding. This is not a major emergency, but it is likely something you want fixed soon. On the other hand, a larger chip may pose some problems.
Larger breaks may require simply a veneer or a cap in order for a speedy recovery. This treatment may require two or three dentist visits, but your teeth will look as good as new when the visits are over.
If the broken tooth has revealed roots or pulp, the dentist will perform additional measures. Treatment may include a root canal and a crown. For the root canal procedure, you will be under anesthesia to prevent pain.
How Can You Make a Dental Appointment?
Do you have a broken tooth? Do you want to find ways to prevent a broken tooth? Are you afraid of the dental process but still need help?
We make it easy to set up an appointment for a broken tooth or any other dental matter. Call Family Dental Center to set up an appointment with a professional dentist who can help.