What happens if you leave a broken tooth?
The broken tooth is an emergency, common in children, also possible in adults. This situation requires prompt treatment by a dentist, and should never be ignored. The solutions for its repair depend on the extent of the trauma on the tooth and if the nerve is affected or not. X-rays will help your dentist decide which treatment is best for your situation. The common causes of a broken tooth are falls and rough contacts, but also cavities.
Broken tooth: possible causes
There are several possible causes of a broken tooth:
- falls are the most common cause of tooth breakage;
- brutal shocks: which can be either accidents or blows;
- a deep cavity that transforms the tooth into an "eggshell" as dentists say: the inside of the tooth is emptied by the cavity, the walls of the tooth become thin and fragile, a piece of bread is enough to break it.
What to do in case of a broken tooth?
When the tooth is broken (it is often the upper incisor), you must quickly consult a dentist who will see you urgently. After taking X-rays, the practitioner makes their decision to treat the problem: either a composite (resin) or a veneer (if it is a small break), or an implant after extraction of the broken tooth (if the break is too important).
What your dentist decides to do to repair your tooth will depend on many factors, including:
- If the nerve of the tooth is not affected by the break, the dentist restores the broken tooth.
- Either with a composite: white in color, this polymer resin is an aesthetic and discreet material. The composite restoration can be performed on anterior or posterior teeth.
- Either with a veneer: in the event of a break in an angle of an incisor, for example, this thin layer of ceramic can be bonded to the visible surface of the tooth and restore aesthetics.
- If the nerve of the tooth is affected by the break, the dentist devitalizes the tooth (removes the nerve). The tooth is then more fragile, and he will suggest that you cover it with a crown.
- If the root is also broken, for example in the event of a violent shock, a fracture line is visible on the X-ray. The restoration of the tooth is then not possible, and the dentist will proceed to the extraction of the broken tooth.
If your tooth is removed, during the healing process, your dentist will offer you a temporary removable prosthetic tooth, especially if it is one of your front teeth, for aesthetic reasons. Then an implant can be placed. It is necessary to wait approximately 6 months before the realization of a crown on implant.
First aid advice
In the event of a tooth being expelled under the effect of a violent shock, it is advisable to act quickly:
- The tooth must be preserved in milk or saline (not in water), and reimplanted urgently by a dentist, within the following hour, in its alveolus (the bone cavity where it is normally found).
- It will be held at the back by a splint (a wire glued to the composite and holding on the neighboring teeth).
- You can also consult a pedodontist, a dentist specializing in children, if a child's tooth is affected.