A broken tooth, common dental emergency, occurs as a result of dental trauma. It can happen to anyone, and a lack of awareness of precautions in certain circumstances can lead to tooth fragmentation, cracking, and breaking. In some cases, a broken tooth is painless and does not cause any problems. In other emergency cases, due to the pain of the broken tooth, repairing it considers a dental emergency and requires immediate attention and emergency treatment. The best way to treat your broken or damaged tooth is to visit the emergency dentist. Special thanks to Dr. Mirlohi from Emergency Dental Clinic North York for helping us to provide this article.
The structure of a healthy tooth:
To better understand the consequences of broken teeth, we must know the elements. The tooth is made of 3 layers, enamel, dentin, and pulp. The outer layer is called the enamel that is the hardest material in the human body and is even stronger than the bones that make up your skeleton. Enamel is white and a visible protective layer around the tooth. Beneath the enamel is a soft tissue called dentin, which forms a significant part of the tooth structure and plays a protective role for the tooth’s pulp. The pulp of the tooth includes blood vessels and nerves. Dentin and pulp hold the roots of the tooth firmly in the jaw.
The lower part of the tooth is made up of roots located in the gums and jaw. They are not covered by enamel, but they are covered by another layer called the cementum. Cementum is similar to enamel but slightly softer. It is the surface layer of tooth enamel, which is prone to damage and break.
When a tooth is broken, cracked, or chipped, it primarily affects the outer layer, the enamel. However, in certain circumstances, damage and fractures may also involve the dentin and dental pulp. For example, the face and teeth may be severely damaged as part of an accident. Typically, the tooth’s inner layers are not affected by the fracture, but if the broken tooth is not repaired in time, the pulp and root of the tooth may become irritated or infected.
Broken tooth repair methods:
The proposed emergency treatment methods depend on the damage and extent. Here are some methods that an emergency dentist uses to repair a broken tooth.
Tooth contouring is a method of repairing broken teeth:
If the fracture is minimal and small, repairing a broken tooth involves shaping the tooth’s sharp edges and polishing it to match other teeth. The broken tooth looks natural in terms of beauty.
How to fill or glue a broken tooth:
In this method of repairing a broken tooth, special dental materials are used, and they are placed in the fractured or cracked part. These materials can be amalgam or composite or glass ionomer, etc. Then it is shaped by the emergency dentist. Then the material hardens to make the broken tooth look more natural.
Veneers for repairing broken teeth:
Dental veneers are one of the methods of repairing broken teeth that are usually made specifically for each patient. In this procedure, a partial or complete veneer is made and then attached to the tooth to give it more strength and preserve the natural tooth as much as possible. Root canal treatment, a common emergency dental treatment, is often needed by an emergency dentist to ensure the successful treatment of broken teeth.
Root canal treatment:
For more severe injuries, when the tooth’s internal structure (pulp) is damaged, the tooth’s natural root can be saved by cleaning and filling. By preserving the natural roots of the teeth, the crown and the natural enamel of the teeth are generally weakened, and there is a need to install an artificial crown.
Tooth extraction is the last solution for repairing a broken tooth:
For damaged teeth that cannot be saved by any of the broken tooth restoration methods mentioned above, tooth extraction may be the last option. A tooth extraction will create gaps between the teeth. To maintain your gums’ health and the beauty of your smile and increase your confidence, you need tooth replacement. In these emergency cases, dental implants are used by an emergency dentist
