Can a Broken Tooth be Saved? Here Are 3 Ways Your Emergency Dentist Can Help!
Posted on: 12 March 2018
If you break a tooth, it can be both painful and frightening—but the good news is that the problem can be fixed. The exact method of fixing a broken tooth depends upon several factors, but your emergency dentist can customise a solution that will work well. Here's what you need to know about the repair of broken teeth.
If Your Tooth Is Completely Broken Off
If the tooth is almost completely broken off—meaning that the whole crown and possibly part of the roots have broken free—it's possible to save the tooth. Immediately put the tooth in a cup of full-cream cow's milk. The milk has powerful preservatives that can keep your tooth alive whilst you're travelling to the dentist's office.
Your dentist may be able to re-implant the tooth successfully, as long as you get to the office straight away. The roots are living tissue that can knit themselves back together in the right circumstances, and your emergency dentist will always try to achieve this when possible.
If Your Tooth Is Partially Broken Off
If your tooth is partially broken off—for example, about half the tooth was broken—you'll need to drop the tooth in a cup of milk and see the dentist straight away. Whilst your dentist can't attach the broken piece of tooth again, they'll need to examine it to make sure that the tooth structure wasn't weak to start with. If interior damage is what caused the tooth to be weak enough to break, you may need a filling or other type of repair to the tooth's interior before the tooth can be fixed.
The usual fix for a partially broken tooth is bonding, especially if a significant amount of the tooth is broken off. Bonding adds a realistic-looking extension to your broken crown, and it can be specially shaped to match your tooth's previous dimensions. If the break is a smaller one, a porcelain crown may be enough to solve the problem.
If Your Tooth Is Chipped
Whilst a chip isn't as serious as a completely or partially broken-off tooth, it's still a break that requires attention straight away. Although a chip may be fairly small, it still exposes your inner tooth to dangerous bacteria since the enamel protection there is gone.
The usual repair for tooth chips can vary, but in many cases a porcelain crown is recommended. Porcelain crowns are specially sized to fit onto your tooth and will cover the chip neatly. These crowns also prevent damage to the inner tooth, since the chipped area is entirely encased.
As you can see, your emergency dentist can handle any type of broken tooth—as long as you see them straight away. If this happens to you, don't hesitate to get help so that your tooth can work and feel completely normal again.
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