Tooth fracture is defined as one of the types of dental trauma. It is also one of the problems that can cause great problems. For this reason, a dentist should be consulted as soon as possible and broken tooth treatment should be applied.
What Happens if You Break a Tooth?
Tooth enamel has no nerves or blood vessels. Therefore, a broken tooth may cause little or no pain. However, even if the broken tooth does not cause any pain, it must be treated. Because if broken tooth treatment is not applied at an early stage, it causes much bigger problems in the future.
Tooth fracture can cause the following conditions to occur:
- Gum swelling
- Pain when chewing or eating
- Sensitivity of teeth
- Incoming and outgoing pain
- A general feeling of discomfort in the mouth
- Pressure sensitivity
- Temperature sensitivity
What are the Types of Tooth Fracture?
Teeth can be broken in different ways. Therefore, broken tooth treatment methods also differ. The types of tooth fracture are as follows:
- Fractures characterized by a crack extending from the tooth surface to the gum line can cause the tooth to break into two pieces.
- In some cases, the tooth may fracture in the form of a vertical crack from the biting surface of the tooth to the gum line.
- Tooth fractures sometimes start below the gum line and continue their progression towards the biting surface of the tooth.
- Small, thin cracks appear in the tooth enamel. These cracks do not cause any pain or discomfort, but they weaken the tooth.
- In some patients, tooth fracture may be limited to the formation of a crack around a pre- existing filling. It usually does not cause pain or soreness. It is felt with the tongue and reduces the comfort of life.
How to Treat a Broken Tooth?
There are many methods used for broken tooth treatment. You can contact your dentist to find out which treatment is right for you.
Treatment methods used in tooth fractures are as follows:
Bonding Treatment - Aesthetic Filling
Bonding treatment is preferred especially if there is a small crack in the enamel of the front teeth. Aesthetic filling is also preferred for the same problem in other teeth.
In these methods, the fracture is closed by filling and the tooth is strengthened.
Laminate Veneer (Leaf Porcelain) Treatment
It is a type of veneer that is frequently preferred in fractures or cracks in the front teeth. Because it is the closest veneer to the natural tooth appearance. It is adhered to the tooth very tightly. It does not create coloration problems while using.
Treatment of Broken Tooth with Crown Treatment
Crown treatment is used in cases where a part of the tooth is broken off or there is advanced decay. In this treatment, the dentist sculpts a part of the tooth as needed. He then treats the broken tooth by placing a crown on the tooth.
There are 4 different types of crowns in crown treatment. These are
- Zirconium Crown
- Metal Crown
- Ceramic Crown
- Porcelain Crown
Broken Tooth Treatment with Filling
It is one of the safest methods for repairing broken teeth. Filling is usually applied to restore fractures that occur in a small part of the teeth.
Implant Treatment
In some cases, the tooth may be lost to the extent that it cannot be saved with different techniques and treatments. For example; the tooth may need to be extracted in fractures that reach the gum. In this case, implant treatment can be used, which both provides the function of the natural tooth and meets the expectations of smile aesthetics.
Root Canal Treatment
In cases where the tooth is infected after fracture, root canal treatment should definitely be applied. In addition, if the fracture has reached the root of the tooth, root canal treatment is also required.
Root canal treatment is used to treat the infection that occurs with the fracture, not the tooth fracture. In this way, tooth extraction is prevented. After root canal treatment, the broken tooth is treated with the most appropriate method.
