Broken Teeth

Teeth can break for tones of reasons. They can break around an existing large filling or because of tooth decay. Teeth can also break if they have never had any dental treatment before but just because they are under a lot of pressure in the bite.

If you’re tooth breaks, you’re probably going to know about it. You may notice a bit of something hard come off when you’re eating or you may feel a sharp edge. The tooth could be sensitive to temperature or even painful.

Treatment; Filling or crown

With any luck, a small break or chip is simple enough to repair with a bit of filling material. The downside with the filling option when the fracture is bigger is that the filling will fill the gap but it will not generally add a lot of strength to the tooth.

This is where the next option comes in. A crown is something that will not only complete the broken tooth but will also add strength to the tooth and hopefully prevent further fracture. A crown acts like a sleeve or cap over the top of the tooth to cover and protect the remaining tooth. In situations where there has been a large fracture or there is already a large filling in the tooth, some sort of crown will often be the ideal option. If you would like to know more about crowns, the risks and benefits, please visit the ‘Crowns’ article.

We need to be aware that if a tooth breaks, it cannot always be saved. If a tooth breaks away below the gum or completely splits the only option may be to have it removed. If this happens, don’t worry. Teeth can be replaced.