Treating A Broken Front Tooth

A visible broken tooth certainly needs to be treated, but what is the best way to do this?

Our front teeth are more susceptible to damage than teeth at the back of our mouth, for example if we fall or are hit in the mouth by a football or similar. Then it’s likely to be our front teeth that take the full impact and problems can result. Accidents like this and perhaps even risky habits like opening packets with the teeth, mean that there may be occasions when our front teeth break or chip and need to be treated.

It is never a good idea not to treat a broken tooth, wherever in the mouth it is as this could lead to further problems later on. A front tooth is very visible too and most of our Chelmsford patients would certainly want to have the tooth restored so that they can smile confidently once more.

In today’s blog, we are going to take a look at some of the treatment options available at Blue Sky Dental that might be used if you break a front tooth.

Dental bonding

Dental bonding is the least invasive option open for the dentist to use. This is mostly used where minor damage has occurred. For example, if a tooth has cracked, bonding may be used to seal minor cracks, whereas significant cracks may require more complex treatment. Bonding may also be used to ‘rebuild’ parts of the tooth where the damage is minor. For example, a chipped tooth may be rebuilt by using bonding which is moulded and used to restore the shape of the tooth. Where this is the case, the bonding material will be adjusted to match the shade of the natural tooth to help it blend in well.

Porcelain veneers

Dental veneers can be used to restore chipped teeth, and may often be used where the chip is a little larger than would be ideal for restoration using bonding. Although perhaps best known for their use in cosmetic dentistry, and especially whitening stained teeth, veneers can be used where a tooth has been chipped to not only restore its appearance, but also to help protect it from further damage

Dental crown

Crowns are mostly used when a tooth is badly chipped or has broken to the extent that the structure of the tooth has become compromised and may deteriorate further unless well protected. Fitting a crown involves shaping the affected tooth so that a crown can be seated correctly upon it. Once this has been done, impressions of the prepared tooth will be taken and these will be used to manufacture your crown. As this can take a week or two at an external laboratory, you will be fitted with a temporary crown in the meantime to protect the tooth. This will be removed and the final crown fitted when you revisit our Chelmsford dentist for the treatment to be completed.

Tooth replacement

Sometimes, it is not possible, or desirable, to restore a damaged tooth. If it is felt that the tooth has been too badly compromised and any restoration would be of poor quality or very temporary, the decision to remove the damaged tooth may be taken. As we are discussing front teeth, it is unlikely that the patient will want to be left with a gap there, and therefore a tooth replacement is likely. The main options available are dentures or a dental implant. As it is a front tooth and any movement is likely to be noticeable, we recommend considering an implant as a natural looking and secure tooth replacement.

It is possible that before any of these treatments can take place, a prior procedure may be needed to protect the tooth. An example of this could be where a tooth has cracked to the extent that the root canals of the tooth have become infected. In situations such as this, your dentist may decide that a root canal procedure is necessary before a crown is added to protect the damaged tooth.

Whatever type of damage has happened to your front teeth, the one thing that you should not do is to ignore it. Any damage to a tooth is almost certain to worsen over time and the tooth should be examined as soon as possible by one of our dentists. A decision will then be made as to the best method to restore the tooth. Where options are available, this will be discussed as factors such as cost and long term benefits versus shorter ones may need consideration.

If you have damaged a front tooth, or any other tooth for that matter, we recommend that you come to see us to have it examined as soon as you can. To make an appointment with us, please call Blue Sky Dental on 01245 211070.