Although tooth enamel is extremely hard, a broken tooth is not uncommon.
The most common causes of tooth cracks or fractures include road accidents, sports injuries, or occupational accidents. Our diet also has a significant impact on the condition and susceptibility of our teeth to breakage—a diet that promotes the development of caries significantly reduces their mechanical strength. Other causes of tooth cracks include bruxism, clenching teeth while sleeping, and occlusal disease, which causes uneven contact of the dental arches.
Tooth cracks also occur more frequently after root canal treatment. After the procedure, the tooth is often dead and not nourished by the pulp, which increases its susceptibility to damage over time.
Broken tooth – what to do?
Above all, you shouldn’t delay a visit to the dentist – the situation certainly won’t improve without their intervention, which will prevent further complications. The steps the dentist takes will largely depend on the extent of the tooth damage. If we managed to preserve the chipped fragment, it may be possible to reuse it (reimplant). If half or more of your tooth breaks off, try to find the piece of tooth and bring it with you to the dentist.
In the case of a more serious crack or fracture of the entire tooth, affecting the condition of the pulp, an X-ray is necessary to accurately assess the extent of the damage. Root canal treatment will also be necessary. During this procedure, a special post is inserted into the tooth, increasing its stiffness and mechanical strength. The final step involves the fabrication of a crown to replace the missing tooth fragment. If the color is selected correctly, the entire crown will be indistinguishable from the rest of the teeth.
The worst situation occurs when a tooth has been deeply fractured. A missing or half or more missing tooth is not just an aesthetic problem – if left unaddressed, it will cause additional teeth to shift, which can lead to the previously mentioned occlusal disease. Several solutions are available to prevent this:
- Dental implants – roots made of artificial materials that imitate a missing root. An artificial tooth or bridge is attached to it, in a color virtually identical to our natural teeth.
- Reimplantation of a lost tooth – if the lost tooth was stored in appropriate conditions (in a moist environment, preferably in the mouth, intact, moved only by the crown), it may be possible for it to re-grow with the bone.
- A bridge on healthy teeth – a much cheaper solution, but associated with irreversible destruction of the enamel on the teeth on which it is mounted.
When half of your tooth breaks off, it can feel overwhelming—but it is not a problem you should ignore. Even though enamel is one of the hardest substances in the body, teeth can still fracture due to trauma, poor diet, bruxism, or structural weakness after procedures like root canal treatment.
If you experience a broken or fractured tooth, schedule a dental appointment with us right away—timely treatment can restore both your smile and your peace of mind.
Related Article: Broken Tooth and Infection