Broken Front Tooth! Now What?
There are few dental traumas worse than breaking a front tooth. A broken front tooth impairs your ability to eat and talk, and there’s the embarrassment that comes from missing such a key part of your smile.
The
time just after breaking or losing a front tooth requires quick decisions made
from solid information. Like a lot of medical issues, there are a lot of myths there about what to do or not to do.
What’s the Status
of Your Broken Front Tooth?
All of
this information applies to dental injuries that occur as a result
of a trauma, not because of tooth decay. A broken front tooth sounds
simple, but there are actually several varieties of trauma that a person can
suffer. Each has its own symptoms and treatment plan:
Loose Tooth
A tooth concussion is another name for a loose
tooth as a result of taking a hit to the mouth. It is typically accompanied by
bleeding and mild to moderate pain.
If your tooth is still intact but a little loose, you might be feeling lucky because you were spared the worst. That might be true, but it does not mean you can sit back and relax. Depending on the strength of the hit, the tooth might have damage to the root or have been pushed into your jaw, neither of which are visible to you.
Because
of this, it’s important to seek emergency dental treatment as soon as possible
after the concussion occurs.
Broken Tooth
A
broken tooth occurs when a substantial piece of the tooth is knocked out, often
exposing its roots and pulp.
This will look like a mixture of white, dark, and
red areas. If you suffer a broken tooth, you will likely be in moderate to
severe pain and will feel the need to see a dentist as soon as possible. Left
untreated, broken teeth can result in severe pain, infection, swelling, and a
potential medical emergency.
Knocked Out Tooth (Tooth Avulsion)
A tooth
that’s been completely knocked out, also known as a dental avulsion, will
result in the most bleeding of these three traumas. Much like any other wound,
apply pressure to the area to stop the bleeding. Head for the emergency room if
the bleeding does not stop within 30 minutes, or if you have a history of
problems with clotting after an injury.
If you
can find the tooth, place it in milk (or water or saliva if milk is not available)
to preserve it until you are able to get to the dentist. Do not touch or
attempt to scrub the tooth’s root.
Dental Emergency –
What to Expect at the Dentist
In most
situations the dentist will take X-rays of the affected area to determine the
severity of the situation, then create a treatment plan for temporary and
permanent solutions based on the severity of the injury.
Each
situation is different, but if the original tooth can be saved, the dentist
will usually try to save it. If the front tooth is broken then it may be
splinted to the teeth on either side to help keep it stable while it heals. For
an avulsed tooth, the dentist may want to try to reinsert the tooth. If the
tooth can be reinserted, this is the best case scenario, however, expect a few follow
up appointments for the dentist to monitor the healing of the tooth.
If
the broken front tooth cannot
be saved, the doctor will discuss your options for short and long term
tooth replacement options. These may include a crown, bridge, implant or partial denture.
Get Help Quickly
Your
tooth is not going to heal on its own, so it’s important to get to the dentist
as soon as possible after the trauma occurs. Not seeking medical care can lead
to an infection or the possibility that a partially-damaged tooth would need to
be completely extracted.
Rootz Dental Care and Implant Center,
No:2/2, First Floor, Sakthi Nagar,
Rajiv Gandhi Salai, Thuraipakkam,
Chennai - 600 097,
Phone :- 9786688755,044-49504825
No:2/2, First Floor, Sakthi Nagar,
Rajiv Gandhi Salai, Thuraipakkam,
Chennai - 600 097,
Phone :- 9786688755,044-49504825
Email :- rootzdentalcare@gmail.com
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