All About Broken Tooth Treatment

Do you feel pain when you chew hard foods or drink a cold beverage? If so, you may have a broken tooth. A chipped or fractured tooth can happen for a variety of reasons:

• Getting hit by an object in the face or mouth (For example: during sports)
• Biting down on hard foods
• A weakened tooth due to an untreated cavity
• A weakened tooth due to previous dental work
• Extreme tooth grinding
• Gum disease

A small chip or minor fracture may not be painful, while a larger break will often hurt. Here, we cover available dental treatments for a broken tooth, including bonding, root canal therapy and dental implants.

Treatments for a Broken Tooth

Your dentist will examine the broken tooth to determine the severity of the fracture and suggest the best treatment option to ease your pain and improve your oral health.

Dental Bonding

If you have a minor chip, your dentist may use bonding to repair the tooth. Bonding is a simple procedure. The dentist will etch the tooth with a liquid or gel so the bonding material or filling will adhere to the surface. Then, the dentist applies the bonding material, followed by a tooth-colored resin. The material is hardened, using an ultraviolet light. The tooth is then polished smooth.

Root Canal Therapy

The tooth crown is the portion of the tooth you can see – above the gum line. If the fracture or cracks that begin at the crown extend to the tooth root your dentist may recommend root canal therapy before treating the broken tooth crown.

Dental Implants

A dental implant may be necessary if the break is so severe that the tooth is split in half. If the dentist determines that the tooth should be removed, it's time to discuss your options for replacement. You may need to wait up to 6 months to give your gums enough time to heal before a dental implant procedure.

What Parts of a Tooth Can Crack?

Craze Lines in the Outer Enamel

Tiny cracks may occur in the outer tooth enamel and are commonly found in adult teeth. Craze lines do not cause pain and usually don't require broken tooth treatment.

Fractured Cusp

The cusp is the pointed part of the biting surface. If you have a broken cusp, the tooth crown may also break. You may have a fractured cusp if you experience sharp pain when biting down.

Broken Tooth Crown

A broken tooth crown can occur in two ways:

• A crack starts at the biting surface and extends below the gum line and down to the root
• A crack begins in the tooth root and extends up to the biting surface, resulting in your tooth splitting into two parts

How Do Dental Providers Diagnose Broken Teeth?

First, the dentist will ask if you're experiencing pain or other symptoms. They will ask if you've recently experienced an injury or trauma. They will inquire about your dental history.

The dentist will also:

• Examine your tooth for cracks or fractures
• They may ask you to bite down on a specialized instrument which can help determine if a crack is likely
• Examine your gums for signs of inflammation (vertical fractures can irritate gums)
• Take an X-ray or a 3D scan of your teeth to view fractures and note related issues, like bone loss
• Use special hand tools to find the crack (periodontal probing)

FAQs: Broken Tooth Treatment

Can a Broken Tooth Be Fixed?

Yes, in most cases, a dentist can restore a broken tooth. Although, your dentist may recommend tooth removal if the tooth is split or severely broken. Your dentist will talk with you about replacing the missing tooth with a dental implant.

Does a Broken Tooth Require a Root Canal?

Not always. Minor chips or breaks can be repaired with bonding material.

Is it Okay to Leave a Broken Tooth Untreated?

If you suspect a broken tooth, it's best to have it examined by a dental professional as soon as possible. A minor tooth fracture can become larger and eventually even lead to an abscess, which may require root canal therapy or even tooth removal.

Before you see your dentist, relieve pain at home by:

• If you have swelling, place an ice pack on your cheek to prevent swelling from worsening
• Routinely rinse your mouth with salt water to reduce inflammation
• Take an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drug like ibuprofen to reduce pain and swelling