Fix Broken Teeth
If you crunched down on a piece of ice or accidentally fell and chipped your tooth, you are not alone. Many times, a broken tooth can affect your self-esteem leaving you less confident or even less apt to smile. If your tooth broke from eating a hard food, an accidental injury or even tooth decay, dentists have many options to restore your smile and your spirit.
Regardless of the reason for your broken tooth, whether it is an emergency or not, the dentist has a variety of solutions to repair or replace your tooth. Before the dentist can offer you treatment options, the dentist needs to determine if the tooth can be repaired or if the tooth is too damaged or compromised to keep. The first step in improving your teeth is with an appointment with the dentist to review the condition of the broken tooth. Then the dentist can make one or more of the following suggestions:
- Dental Sealant
If your tooth has a hole or a crack well above the gumline, a dental sealant can be the best option to strengthen the tooth. The sealant can be a barrier between the compromised tooth and bacteria. Without the extra protection, the bacteria can lead to tooth decay and cavities even faster if the crack provides a dark, protected place to grow and develop.
- Bonding
Dentists can use a similar material as they use in dental sealants to correct the appearance of a crack or chip in a tooth. The composite material can be adjusted to match the color of your teeth so the bonding is not noticeable while being structurally supportive. The bonding can be used like dental sealants to prevent places for bacteria to settle and cause tooth decay.
- Veneers
If you are looking to cover the surface of your tooth with a custom created shell, then you can talk to the dentist about veneers. The shell is made of a resin or porcelain material in a color to match your other teeth. The veneer can change the shape of your teeth or even restore your smile to an improved version than your original smile. Veneers can replace missing teeth for either cosmetic or functional dental issues.
- Root Canal
If you have broken or cracked a tooth at or below the gumline, the dentist may recommend a root canal to treat any infection that has developed below the gumline. Again, with the compromised tooth structure, bacteria can settle in the dark voids with little disruption from traditional brushing. Typically, dentists use root canals to treat infections in the pulp to prevent total tooth loss or more serious infections from forming. Once the dentist clears the area of infection and inflammation, then the dentist can replace or address the broken tooth with an implant or even a crown.
- Crown
If your tooth has a large area damaged by decay or accident, a crown provides a safe and secure covering for the whole tooth. Like a veneer, a crown can improve the appearance and protect the tooth form further decay, but it is thicker and stronger than a typical porcelain veneer. Crowns can be composed of metal, porcelain or ceramic, depending on the location in your mouth and your preference.
- Dental Implant
If you have a missing tooth or one that is determined to be broken beyond repair, the dentist can secure a post below the gumline with an artificial tooth on top. The dentist will remove the broken tooth, implant a titanium post, and then attach a false tooth to the post.
- Filling
One of the more traditional ways to address tooth decay and cavities, fillings are very safe to repair teeth. Like crowns, the dentist can use a variety of materials, but it is more cost efficient than other treatments.
More on Fixing Teeth : Fix Chipped Teeth