You’re crunching ice or a piece of tough sweet when you discover something hard in your mouth that does not melt or dissolve. You get a sick feeling as you understand what it is– a piece of broken tooth.
Although the enamel that covers your teeth is the hardest, most mineralized tissue in the body, its strength has limits. Falling, receiving a blow to the face, or biting down on something hard– especially if a tooth currently has some decay– can cause a tooth to chip or break. If you find you have broken or chipped a tooth, do not panic. There are lots of things your dental practitioner can do to repair it.
Causes of Chipped or Broken Teeth
Chipped, fractured or broken teeth may occur in many cases:
- Biting down on something hard
- Being struck in the face or mouth
- Falling
- Having cavities that damage the tooth
- Having large, old amalgam fillings that do not support the remaining enamel of the tooth
When a tooth chips or breaks, it might not hurt. However, your tongue normally feels the sharp area quite rapidly. Minor tooth fractures usually do not cause pain, but if a big piece of the tooth breaks off, it can hurt. The nerve inside the tooth might be harmed. Severe pain likewise can take place when nerve endings in the dentin are exposed to air, or to hot or cold foods or drinks.
Pain from a damaged or broken tooth might be consistent or might come and go. Many individuals feel pain when they chew since chewing puts pressure on the tooth.
What I Can Do With Broken (Chipped) Tooth?
Chipped (Fractured) Teeth
There is no way to treat a broken tooth at home. You have to see your dentist. In some cases the tooth looks fine, but it injures just when you eat or when the temperature level in your mouth changes (due to the fact that you drank something hot or cold, for instance). If your tooth harms all the time, it might have a damaged nerve or blood vessels. This is a major warning sign. You will know if you have a cracked tooth if it does not harmed to bite on the tooth, however pain takes place when you release the bite.
If you have a damaged tooth, see your dental expert as quickly as possible. Your dental professional can figure out if the break was brought on by a cavity, and if the tooth’s nerve is in threat. A broken nerve typically will require root canal treatment.
Before you get to the dental professional’s workplace:
- Rinse your mouth well with warm water.
- Apply pressure with a piece of gauze on any bleeding areas for about 10 minutes or up until the bleeding stops.
- If this does not work, use a tea bag with pressure on the area to stop the bleeding.
- Use an ice bag to the cheek or lips over the broken tooth. This will help reduce swelling and alleviate pain.
- If you cannot get to your dental expert immediately, cover the part of the tooth that remains in your mouth with temporary dental cement. You can discover this at a drugstore.
- Take an over the counter painkiller.
What Your Dentist Will Do with Your Broken Tooth?
There are several types of tooth fractures and breaks, each of which needs different treatments. These consist of:
- Small fractures. Also called “craze lines,” these are surface fractures that impact only the external white surface of the tooth, called the enamel. Small cracks hardly ever require treatment. Nevertheless, your dental practitioner may lightly polish the area to smooth out any rough spots.
- Broken tooth. This type of fracture involves the entire tooth, from the chewing surface all the method to the nerve. The pieces stay in place, however the fracture gradually spreads. Cracks can in some cases be fixed with filling product. The tooth often will require a crown to avoid the fracture from getting worse. If the pulp (nerve and other live tissues) is harmed, you may require a root canal also.
- Chips. Small chips do not constantly need treatment. Your dentist may suggest repairing the damage with filling material to avoid it from getting worse or to make the tooth look and feel better. If the chip is extremely little, the dentist might polish and smooth out the chipped area.
- Damaged cusp. These breaks affect the pointed chewing surfaces (the cusps) of the teeth. They usually do not impact the pulp and are not likely to cause much pain. Your dentist may fix the damage to restore the tooth’s shape. Often, nevertheless, an onlay or crown will be needed.
- Major breaks. These breaks go deep enough to expose the nerve. They often cause the tooth to injure and be sensitive. Generally, the broken part of the tooth will bleed. You will require root canal treatment to get rid of the exposed nerve and most likely a crown to bring back the tooth to normal function so you can eat and chew correctly.
- Split tooth. This implies that the tooth has actually split vertically into two separate parts. Some teeth, such as your back teeth (molars), have more than one root. It may be possible to keep one of the roots, which will then be covered with a crown. First, you will need root canal treatment. Second, the dental professional will remove any roots that can not be kept. Third, you will require a crown to cover the root and replace the tooth. Sometimes, when a root can not be saved, the tooth will need to be eliminated.
- Vertical breaks or split root. These fractures begin in the root of the tooth and extend upward toward the chewing surface area. These breaks are frequently painful because the area around the root may be inflamed or infected. In many cases, the tooth will need to be removed.
- Decay-induced break. In this case, the tooth has broken or fallen apart since a cavity deteriorated it from the within out. Your dental professional will evaluate the cavity and advise the best method to restore the tooth. In some cases, if the decay is substantial and decreases to the bone, the tooth may have to be removed.
Repair Cost
The cost of restoring a chipped or broken tooth will vary because of the complexity of the work, the chosen method of restoration and the conditions of the dental clinic itself. In any case, we think it’s appropriate to give you an estimate for several clinics in the United States, so that you have something to look forward to.
- Great Smiles of La Mesa Dental Group – San Diego, CA
- This clinic offers dental bonding for chipped teeth at a cost of $100-$400 per tooth.
- Los Altos Dentistry – Los Altos, CA
- This clinic offers a range of options for chipped or broken teeth, including fillings ($200-$400), dental bonding ($400-$700), and porcelain veneers ($1,000-$2,500 per tooth).
- Winterset Dental Care – Madison, WI
- Their chipped tooth repair costs start at $150 for dental bonding and go up to $1,200 for a full dental crown.
- Park Slope Dentistry – Brooklyn, NY
- This clinic offers dental bonding for chipped teeth at a cost of $250-$450 per tooth.
- Advanced Dental – Austin, TX
- Their chipped tooth repair costs range from $100 for dental bonding to $1,500 for a full porcelain crown.
- South Shore Dental Care – Rockville Centre, NY
- This clinic offers a variety of options for chipped teeth, including fillings ($200-$400), dental bonding ($250-$450), and porcelain veneers ($1,000-$2,500 per tooth).
- Scottsdale Dental Arts – Scottsdale, AZ
- Their chipped tooth repair costs start at $100 for dental bonding and go up to $2,000 for a full porcelain crown.
- Dental Dreams – Chicago, IL
- This clinic offers dental bonding for chipped teeth at a cost of $150-$500 per tooth.
- Signature Smiles Family Dentistry – Houston, TX
- Their chipped tooth repair costs range from $150 for dental bonding to $1,500 for a full porcelain crown.
- Smile Today – Las Vegas, NV
- This clinic offers a range of options for chipped or broken teeth, including fillings ($100-$500), dental bonding ($400-$700), and porcelain veneers ($1,000-$2,500 per tooth).
Overall, the cost of chipped or broken tooth repair can vary greatly depending on the method used, the location of the clinic, and the extent of the damage. While some clinics may offer lower prices for treatments such as dental bonding or fillings, others may recommend more expensive options such as porcelain veneers or crowns. It is important for patients to discuss their options with their dentist and choose the best course of treatment based on their individual needs and budget.