When a Broken Tooth May Need to Be Replaced

A broken tooth is one of those injuries most people deal with at some point in their lives. It can be caused by many things like biting down on hard foods, tooth decay, or trauma to the face.

The damage typically leaves the tooth more vulnerable to decay and infection if it is severe enough. A broken tooth might be accompanied by toothaches and blood coming from the tooth. It always requires treatment, regardless of how minor the damage seems.

Some of the treatments commonly used to address chipped, cracked, and broken teeth include:

• Composite bonding: This involves using composite resin to rebuild the tooth. It is typically used to fix minor damage
• Root canals: This involves removing a tooth’s soft tissues and nerve to protect against infection or treat it. Teeth that have been treated with root canal therapy are typically covered with crowns
• Veneers: These restorations only cover the front part of teeth. They can be used to hide mild to moderate damage to a tooth

Determining if your broken tooth needs to be replaced

The severity of the damage to your tooth determines how a dentist approaches treating it. Minor damage that only affects the outer enamel can be easily fixed with treatments like composite bonding or enamel reshaping.

More severe damage that reaches the part of the tooth that houses its nerve and blood vessels – called the pulp chamber – counts as a dental emergency, and it requires immediate treatment. Dentists can typically treat damage with procedures like root canal therapy or a crown. However, it is not always possible to save a broken tooth. Some of the reasons why a dentist might decide a broken tooth needs to be replaced include:

• Infection: A broken tooth has an increased risk of infection, especially if the damage leaves its pulp chamber compromised. The risk of infection goes off if the injury is left untreated. An infected tooth can be treated with a root canal if the infection is not threatening to spread to other parts of the body like the jaw. If it is, an extraction might be suggested to protect the patient’s health. The extracted tooth can be swapped with an oral prosthetic such as an implant
• Broken teeth roots: Dentists typically recommend extracting a broken tooth if the damage leaves its root fractured or cracked. Roots serve as the foundation for teeth, so there is no way to save them once their roots are compromised
• Severe damage: At times, a tooth might become so damaged that it is impossible to save it with treatments like a root canal or a crown. For example, the damage might affect most of the tooth’s crown, so there is nothing left to serve as a base for a crown

Get treatment for your broken tooth

A broken tooth can morph into a more significant oral issue if you leave it untreated. Give us a call or stop by our Chester clinic to set up an appointment with our dentist.

Request an appointment here: https://thechesterfielddentist.com or call Chesterfield Dentist at 8044120867 for an appointment in our Chester office.

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