How to treat chipped and broken teeth
If your tooth or teeth have small chips on the edges, particularly chipped front teeth, that don’t cause pain or issues, your dentist might recommend a small repair by smoothing the edge or repairing with a tooth-coloured filling, which prevents the rough edge from cutting or damaging your lips or tongue, as well as restoring the appearance of the tooth. This is known as composite bonding.
If your teeth have suffered a serious fracture or break then you may require a more complicated treatment as it may be caused by a cavity or crack. Large cavities that cause chips, breaks or fractures can become extremely painful, as well as cause infections if they are left untreated. In cases like these, root canal treatment might be required. However if there is no pain or infection, simple cracks can often be filled and bound together with a composite resin, or repaired, while a broken tooth may be fixed with a crown.
Dental crowns can be used as part of the treatment for other type of breaks or splits, such as broken cusps or vertical cracks and fractured molars. They are sometimes used as a precaution to reduce the chance of further cracks.
Unfortunately if your tooth has decayed from the inside-out or completely fractured vertically, making it irrevocably broken, your dentist may recommend that your tooth is removed as a final solution. This is why it is a good idea to see your dentist as soon as you notice or experience any chips, breaks or cracks. No matter how minor you may think the situation is, it’s important for maintaining good oral health to have any abnormalities investigated as soon as possible. Any damage can lead to an increased risk of infections or further deterioration, so it is important to receive treatment as soon as possible to reduce the chance of developing problems.
Multiple chips and cracks due to clenching or grinding teeth (bruxism) may require other treatment to prevent further wear and tear, such as the wearing of a splint or ‘night guard’.
