Broken Teeth
B Dental in Doncaster East
Broken Teeth Treatment in Doncaster East
Crack & Chipped Teeth
Broken teeth are teeth that are chipped and/or cracked. Broken teeth may sometimes have no other symptoms, or may have symptoms ranging from sensitivity or mild discomfort through to soreness or pain. They may also be associated with food trapping in or between teeth or have sharp edges that may rub or cut the cheek or tongue. If not treated promptly, further damage can lead to more severe symptoms and complicate the treatment options. Resulting in increased costs and less favourable prognoses.
What causes teeth to break?
Tooth decay can silently damage and destroy enamel, resulting in a weakening of the tooth, which can manifest in the tooth breaking.
Fillings in teeth only replace some of the strength of the original enamel, meaning the remaining enamel is weaker. So that over time, cracks can develop leading to chipping and cracking.
People with parafunctional habits such as grinding or clenching their teeth exert strong forces on their teeth and can crack or break their teeth. A variety of accidents can break teeth, such as sporting accidents, unexpectedly biting onto something hard, or work or domestic incidents.
Can you prevent teeth from breaking?
Tooth decay is preventable. However, if it has already started, it needs to be identified as soon as possible by a dental examination, and treated; in order to minimise the weakening of the remaining tooth structure. Prevention revolves around thorough cleaning of teeth and good food choices.
Parafunctional habits may be countered by the wearing of protective splints.
People playing certain sports should consider professionally made mouth guards, and wear them during competition and also training.
What can we do about broken teeth?
Minor breaks may be repaired with regular fillings. However, major breaks or breaks associated with existing fillings need to be assessed to determine the amount of tooth structure remaining. Sometimes another filling is appropriate, at other times a crown or onlay/overlay may be required. Unfortunately, sometimes the break may be so severe that it is not possible to save the tooth.
