The crown part of the tooth, which is located directly in the oral cavity, is covered with enamel. This is the strongest tissue in the human body, so many are sincerely surprised when they notice that a tooth has broken off and do not know what to do.
Why do teeth chip?
Enamel is a durable transparent fabric. It reliably protects the tooth from destruction. However, there are a number of reasons why it can still break:
- eating too hard food;
- mechanical injury (fall, blow);
- damage (cracks) on the enamel;
- malocclusion;
- untreated caries or improperly installed filling;
- masticatory muscle hypertonicity;
- partial absence of teeth, due to which the remaining ones are heavily overloaded.
If a piece of tooth has broken off, you need to seek help from a dentist, because over time, even a small chip can increase. The doctor will restore the beauty of your smile and comfortable eating, relieve psychological discomfort and increased sensitivity of the teeth.
Types of damage to teeth
- Enamel chip. Such an injury does not cause discomfort and discomfort, but it can ruin a smile when it comes to an anterior tooth.
- Chip within the dentin. This is damage to the layer that is located under the enamel. In the presence of such a chip, a short-term reaction to hot and cold, as well as to sweet and sour, appears. If you do not immediately go to the dentist, the dentin will be destroyed further, which can lead to complications in the form of pulpitis or periodontitis.
- Chip to the pulp. If a large piece of the tooth breaks off, the pulp is damaged. Such an injury is accompanied by severe throbbing pain. Urgent dental care is needed, otherwise you can be left without a tooth.
- Broken tooth root. Such a fracture is a serious injury. But even in this case, the tooth can be saved from extraction if you promptly seek help from a doctor. The sooner you do this, the more likely the tooth will be saved.
Tooth damage is different, but regardless of the size of the chip, it is necessary to seek help from a dentist. He will offer the right solution for restoring the shape of the tooth, based on the situation.
Damage to milk teeth
Has your child chipped a tooth? No wonder, because children are very active, they often fall or hit. As a result, the milk tooth can be damaged. Despite the fact that it is temporary, it also needs to be restored, because the health of the permanent ones, as well as the correct formation of the bite, depends on the condition of the milk teeth.
What to do if a tooth breaks off? Disinfect the child’s mouth and go to the pediatric dentist. He will apply a special gel and prescribe treatment. As a rule, a milk tooth is restored with a filling.
What to do if a piece of tooth has broken off
If you have a chipped tooth, see your dentist. It will help prevent further decay and restore the tooth with the help of modern materials.
Depending on the degree of damage, the specialist may suggest:
- Sealing. With small chips, both anterior and posterior teeth can be restored using light-curing composite materials.
- Veneers. These are thin ceramic onlays to create the perfect smile zone. They reliably mask chipped teeth and protect the enamel from damage.
- Tabs. If the chewing tooth is damaged by more than half, then the orthopedic dentist recreates its shape using a ceramic inlay. It is securely fixed and lasts longer than composite fillings.
- Crowns. If a large piece of a tooth has broken off or it has broken down to the gum level, ceramic crowns are already used for restoration.
- Implants. If the root of the tooth is broken and it is no longer possible to save it, the dentition is restored with the help of implants, on which the crowns are fixed.
The dentist will restore the shape and function of a broken tooth, even if its visible part is completely destroyed or the root of the tooth is broken.
Why does a broken tooth need to be restored?
Doesn’t it bother you that a piece of a tooth has broken off, and you are not going to see a dentist? Be aware that a number of related problems can arise from a chip. The most common of them:
- increased sensitivity of the tooth (reaction to cold and hot);
- infection of the pulp (nerve endings);
- further tooth decay.
A timely visit to the dentist will save you from these and other problems that may arise due to a chipped tooth. A good doctor always knows what to do if a tooth is broken and will choose the right method for its restoration, taking into account the specifics of the case. The restored tooth will regain its natural shape and will perform its functions.