Broken tooth, now what do I do?

Have you ever been in an accident and ended up with a broken tooth? In addition to being painful, a broken or fractured tooth is one of the most common emergencies for which patients go to the dental clinic. This injury is usually caused by blows, falls or other traumas that mainly affect the front teeth.

Besides the pain and the trauma it´s common that the patient will worry about his aesthetic appearance, which is why some people could even panic without knowing how to act. Today we will be giving you some recommendations in order for you to have all the information required in case you have to deal with a broken tooth.

In case of a tooth fracture, keep calm

This recommendation is especially in case the person who suffers a broken tooth is your son or daughter. Little ones are more prone to falls, and on any time they could hit their face and have teeth injuries.

If such event happens, try to stay calm and don´t panic. This will only block yourself and you won´t be able to think accurately since you will have to rescue the tooth, regardless of whether it is only a small piece. Once you have the tooth try cleaning it carefully with water and storing it in a clean container, preferably glass, with some cow’s milk or saliva.

Basic first aid

Rinse your mouth, or your child’s, preferably with bottled water, not with tap water, in order to remove any traces of dirt or blood that may have been left behind by the trauma. Place a cold compress or ice on the affected area of the face to relieve pain and reduce inflammation. Avoid touching the fractured tooth.

Visit the dentist

If possible, go to the dentist the same day of the trauma and explain all the details of what happened. This information is essential for evaluating the fracture, informing you about the damage suffered by the tooth and getting treatment to rehabilitate it.

• In the event that an adult permanent tooth has fallen out, it can be replanted in the patient’s mouth. The faster you act, the better the chance that the dentist will be able to implant it. Waiting too long, could make the area start to heal and the tooth could be damaged. In most cases, children’s and baby teeth are not replanted.

Dental fractures causes

In general, teeth are very strong, but they can fracture due to:

• Accidental falls
• Injuries received during sport
• Fights
• Car accidents
• Chewing foods that are too hard

The nature of the accident influences both the degree of fracture and the treatment to be received. Therefore, you must specify to the dentist how did the event happened.

Types of tooth fractures

Hard tissue injuries

The least damaging lesions are those with small cracks in the enamel, but no damage to the dentin. Also known as a chipped tooth, it means that no tooth has been chipped or knocked out. However, if the tooth is not treated correctly, it could end up breaking, so you should visit the dentist, even if you do not see any damage.

However, when a partial fracture occurs, the enamel and dentin may have been fractured, that is, a small piece of the tooth is detached, without damaging the pulp. And total breakage is when at least half of the tooth is broken, with fractures in the enamel, dentin, cement, and pulp.

Injuries in periodontal tissues

These injuries are serious because they involve damage to the gum, and can affect the supporting bone. In some cases, dental bone fractures are not related to broken teeth, therefore, in the event of an accident or trauma to the face, it is essential to visit the dentist.

Symptoms after a broken tooth

In addition to the injury, which may or may not be obvious, after a teeth injury the following could happen:

• Tooth sensitivity. Due to the loss of enamel, you may experience discomfort with hot or cold foods.
• Pain, the more serious the break, the greater the discomfort. Especially if the pulp chamber is exposed.
• Mobility of the tooth that remained in the mouth. This is why you should not touch it until you visit the dentist.
• Color changing. This occurs if the trauma was so severe that it affected the blood vessels, giving the enamel a gray or brown color.
• Gum bleeding. The same blow can cause bleeding in the gum, but there could also be an injury to the periodontal tissue.

Broken tooth treatment

If the break is slight, the dentist could fill the area with resin or composite, or place dental veneers to cover the fractured part. If you recovered the tooth and it is viable, it could be replanted.

In case the break is serious, you could be requiring a root canal and the placement of a dental crown, or the total extraction of the tooth and an implant to cover it.

As you may have learned, a broken tooth is not a situation that can be taken lightly, so if you or someone in your family has suffered a trauma that fractured their teeth, come to The Dental District, where our Dentist in Tijuana will evaluate the case to provide the most appropriate treatment.

Schedule your appointment through our contact form. We will gladly assist you at our Dental Clinic in Tijuana. Ask about our best services such as invisalign in Tijuana, Dental crowns in Tijuana, Dental implants in Tijuana, Endodontics in Mexico and more.