In dreams it is a bad omen, in reality the broken tooth is bitter rival of the smile.
It can happen that, accidentally, a tooth breaks by taking a blow, falling on a bike or motorbike, even if you eat something very crispy you can risk chipping it. If the nightmare from the dream becomes reality moderne, modern dental techniques, fortunately, can intervene and repair broken teeth. How many solutions exist? We explain it in this article.
4 remedies with integrated FAQ
The first step is to visit the dentist to give a solution to the problem and to proceed with the reconstruction of the “compromised” teeth. The second step begins with the evaluation of the fracture and leads to the choice of the most suitable remedy, based on the level of severity.
Here are the remedies and answers to your possible questions:
1) Dental filling, when the break is very small (little more than a chip). If the repair affects the anterior tooth, the dentist will resort to Bonding, which consists of applying or filling the tooth with a whitish composite resin which will be molded and hardened with ultraviolet light.
2) Composite reconstruction, when the remaining piece of tooth is well anchored to the gingiva.
What is composite? It is a soft and easy to handle material that gives our teeth the most appropriate shape. It is available in various colors, the doctor will choose the most similar color to the natural one of our teeth.
How is it applied? The composite is applied directly on the lesion and modeled on the spot until the tooth is given its original shape. Subsequently, with a special light that crystallizes its molecular structure, the compound will be hardened just like a natural tooth.
Results: a reconstructed tooth where it will be difficult to recognize the “fake” part from the real one.
3) Ceramic veneers. The reconstruction will affect the entire front surface of the tooth which will be covered with a ceramic veneer and correct the defects of the original tooth. Also, in this case, it is assumed that the tooth is alive and vital.
What is the dental veneer? It is a thin porcelain or resin shell that covers the entire front of the tooth (very similar to a fake nail that covers a real nail) with a thicker section made to replace the broken part of the tooth.
How is it made? The dentist will have to remove about 0.3 – 1.2 mm of enamel from the surface and on the basis of the tooth impression, the dental laboratory will prepare the veneer. To position the dental veneer, the dentist applies a special cement to the tooth. Once the coating is in place, the dentist uses a special light to activate the chemicals in the cements and harden them quickly. This method is widely used in the aesthetic field.
When should you prefer aesthetic veneers to composite restorations? In the case of dental erosion, when the color is dissimilar to the original as a result of the fracture or other particular situations.
How long do they last? The veneers, attached to the tooth with a cementing substance, can last for several years, even more than 10 years, a new reconstruction will then be necessary.
4) Devitalization and ceramic capsules, for a deeper reconstruction when the lesion is more important, the dentist will have to devitalize the tooth. The pulp could be more exposed to bacteria present in the mouth and risk infections of the dental tissue with, in the worst case, pulp tissue necrosis and tooth extraction.
What does root canal therapy consist of? It begins with the removal of the pulp, the cleaning of the root canal and subsequent sealing. In some cases, the tooth must be covered with a crown to protect it. The capsule used is different from the veneer, it will cover the entire original tooth as if it were “capped”. Before the application of the capsule, a pin will be inserted in the tooth necessary to confer resistance (if the tooth underneath, which must support the capsule, breaks again, the capsule will also fall). Then the ceramic is inserted and glued through the cementing substance that will bind the tooth and the prosthesis.
Broken or chipped teeth, how to take care of it?
When, due to an accidental event, a tooth breaks or splinters, the first thing to do is go to the dentist. What can happen if it is not treated immediately? The possibility of infection is very high and if you do not intervene in time you can risk the total loss of the tooth.
Three precautionary measures:
- if you have pain, as normal, it is good to take a pain reliever and rinse with salt water to disinfect.
- if the broken tooth has a sharp part, cover the part with a piece of paraffin or sugar-free chewing gum to prevent the part from cutting the tongue.
- prefer soft foods and avoid biting on the broken tooth to avoid making the situation worse.
