Having a broken tooth is unfortunate. Fortunately, teeth can be saved in the majority of cases. If you have a filling that fell out, a broken tooth or a chipped tooth, it is essential to see your dentist immediately.

Dealing With A Broken Tooth

The best thing to do with a chipped tooth, broken or fractured tooth is to see your dentist right away. Some people may want to wait until their next dental visit before having a fractured or chipped tooth looked at by their dentist. However, the longer you delay seeing your dentist, you risk the damage to that tooth becoming worse. A compromised tooth is weaker, and more of the tooth can be broken off or chipped off easier. As well, you risk damaging your tongue or lips depending on the area of the chip or damage. Additionally, it is easier for dental decay to develop since the broken or chipped area of the tooth creates a rough surface that makes it easier for bacteria to stick and adhere. The earlier you see your dentist, the more you stand to save in potential repairs.

Treatment Of A Broken Tooth

When deciding on the best treatment for a broken tooth, your dentist will need to take dental x-rays to assess the extent of the damage to the tooth. In severe cases, the damage may extend to the root or nerve of the tooth.

If a large portion of the tooth has been broken off, or if the root or nerves have been severely damaged, the only option may be to extract the tooth and replacement it with a dental implant, dental bridge, or partial denture.

If the tooth has a small chip, dental bonding may be used to build back the tooth structure. Dental crowns or dental veneers can also be used to treat varying levels of damage to the tooth. Your dentist will present you with all available options and the advantages and disadvantages of each option.

Contact us now if you have a broken, chipped or fractured tooth.