What To Do About A Broken Tooth
Most people will have to deal with cavities from time to time, but chipped and broken teeth are another matter. Depending on how you spend your time, a chipped tooth could either be possible or almost inevitable. Or you could go your entire life without having to worry about a broken tooth. But since accidents do happen and some of those accidents can hit you right in the jaw, it’s good to know what to expect when you go to the dentist’s office with a damaged tooth.
Minor Crack
A minor crack is one that forms in the outer enamel layer but doesn’t go any deeper than that. It usually doesn’t carry a real risk of becoming worse, so a dentist might polish it out but do nothing else.
Serious Crack
The kind of tooth crack that will get a dentist’s attention is one that extends into the dentin layer and even down to the nerve. This kind of crack can grow over time as you chew your food, and so it’s important to deal with the problem as soon as possible. Depending on the size and depth of the crack, a dentist might be able to fill it in and keep it from growing that way, or you might need a new crown and a full root canal.
Root Crack
A crack that extends down to the roots is an even bigger problem than one that’s deep enough to reach the pulp. Molars have two roots, and so sometimes a root crack will only damage one root or split the tooth between the two roots. In this case, a dentist can remove the more damaged part and put an artificial crown on the surviving root. But if both roots are damaged or if the tooth only has one root, there usually isn’t anything to do but remove it.
Minor Chip
Like a minor crack, a chip isn’t deeper than the enamel layer and it won’t become a worse problem from normal use. However, a chipped tooth can make for an uneven smile and even if it’s a molar it can feel wrong when you rub it with your tongue. If that’s the case, a dentist can restore the old shape of your tooth with a kind of resin that can bond to your teeth and fill in the chipped area.
Serious Break
When a tooth takes enough damage to completely break off the enamel or even more, then a little resin won’t be enough. If a tooth is broken enough to bleed, a dentist will usually order a root canal to clear out the damaged pulp and then cap what’s left of the tooth with an artificial crown.
Tooth damage can be cosmetic and need a little touchup, or it can go deep and demand a procedure that goes even deeper to repair it. Either way, a dentist can save the tooth so long as the roots are okay.