BROKEN TEETH

Teeth are naturally strong,  yet, they are prone to chip or fracture. Fracture of the teeth can occur as a result of one or more of the following:

• Falling
• Being hit hard on the mouth or in the face
• Having cavities in the mouth — cavities will weaken the teeth.
• Biting into hard food.
• Large amalgam fillings that do not support the remaining enamel of the tooth.

Your tooth might not be hurt when it breaks, but your tongue will be able to feel the sharp, broken area quickly. If the tooth break is minor, you might not feel pain.  However, if a larger piece of your tooth breaks off,  it might hurt badly.

Pain can occur if the fracture affects the nerve inside the tooth.  If the nerve endings in the dentine are damaged or exposed to extreme temperatures like hot or cold substances or air,  you might experience severe discomfort. The pain may be constant or fluctuate. Some people feel pain when chewing because of the pressure that it places on the tooth.

What Am I Supposed To Do When I Have a Broken or Fractured Tooth?

CRACKED OR FRACTURED TOOTH

You cannot treat a cracked tooth at home. There is a need for you to visit your dentist. The affected tooth might appear fine, but it might hurt when you eat or drink cold or hot substances.  If you experience a constant toothache, it could be that you have a damaged nerve or blood vessels in your tooth, which poses to be a serious warning sign.

The easiest way to find out if your tooth is cracked is to take a bite.  If you feel no pain when you take the bite, but occurs when you release the bite, then you have a cracked tooth.

BROKEN TOOTH

You can visit us in London as soon as you realise that you have a broken tooth.  This will enable us to ascertain the cause of the breakage and also figure out if the nerve of the tooth is affected. If the tooth's nerve is damaged, you will be required to have root canal treatment.

Before you visit your dentist, you can apply the following tips to relieve symptoms:

• Rinse your mouth properly with lukewarm water
• Using a piece of gauze, apply pressure on bleeding areas (if any) for about 10 minutes. You can also use a tea bag to apply pressure on the affected area to stop the bleeding.
• Apply a cold pack to the skin area (such as the cheek or lips) that is over the broken tooth. This is to reduce swelling and also relieve pain
• If you are unable to reach your dentist immediately, you can cover the posterior part of the tooth with temporary dental cement. You can purchase this cement at a pharmacy close to you.
• You can take an over-the-counter pain killer such as ibuprofen.

Do well to visit our London Dentist at the Cosmetic Dentistry Clinic for more details as regards your broken tooth.

What Should I Expect From My Dentist?

There are a wide range of treatments available for a cracked and broken tooth.  Your dentist will recommend the most appropriate treatment for you.

Minor cracks

Minor cracks are also referred to as 'craze lines'.  They are surface cracks that affect only the external surface of the tooth — the enamel. Minor cracks do not require elaborate treatment. Your dentist might simply polish the area to smoothen the rough spots.

Chips

Minor chips do not always require treatment. Your dentist might repair the damage with filling material to make the tooth look better.  The fillings will also prevent the chipping from getting worse.

If the chipped area is very small, your dentist may polish and smoothen it out.

Cracked tooth

This fracture usually involves the whole structure of the tooth. It affects the chewing surface and even the nerve. Although the pieces would still be in place, the crack will gradually spread.

Filling materials can be used to repair the cracks. The tooth will also need a crown to avoid complications.  You may also need a root canal treatment if the pulp that houses the nerve and other live tissues are damaged.

Split tooth

This refers to when the tooth split vertically into two parts. To treat a split tooth,  an initial root canal treatment is required. Your dentist will also remove any tooth root that cannot be left. Thirdly, a crown will be required to cover the root and also replace the tooth. In severe cases, total removal of the tooth would be carried out if the root cannot be saved.

Broken cusp

The cusps are the pointed chewing surfaces of the teeth.  Broken cusps do not affect the pulp and are less likely to cause much pain. Frequent fitting if crown might be required.

CONCLUSION

You can get effective treatments for your broken teeth at Cosmetic Dentistry Clinic, London. We offer affordable treatment options for Broken and fractured teeth.

You can walk into our clinic in London to speak with one of our experienced dentists. You can also book an appointment by reaching us over the phone.  Call us on 02071830755 now.