Damaged or Chipped Tooth: What to Do Before Going to the Dentist

What to do when you break a tooth?

If you are wondering what to do if you break a tooth, the first thing is not to panic. Just because a tooth has broken does not necessarily mean that it will have to be extracted. What happens next depends on the extent of the damage and whether the inner parts of the tooth are damaged.

This is what you can do right away:

What to Do When a Tooth Chips

A little chip seems insignificant at times, even when it does not hurt. Nevertheless, it is recommended to get it checked out. A chipped tooth could be damaged just on the surface layer of enamel, or it could go deeper.

Your dentist will check for:

• The extent of tooth damage
• The involvement of the nerve or pulp of the tooth
• If there is a crack underneath the gum line
• If there is any effect on the bite
• If there are any signs of infection or further injury

It is this which will determine how a chipped tooth should be handled and if it is urgent or not.

Is a Broken Tooth Considered a Dental Emergency?

This is one of the most frequently asked questions after a dental injury. The answer will depend on the severity of the injury. A small break in a tooth without pain might not necessitate emergency treatment, but it is better to schedule a dental checkup anyway.

You should visit the dental office immediately in case of:

• Severe or chronic tooth pain
• Bleeding from the mouth or gums
• Swelling of the face and gums
• Breaking of a significant part of the tooth
• Severe loosening of the tooth or loss of the tooth entirely
• Breathing or swallowing difficulties
• Infection symptoms like fever or a bad taste in the mouth
• Injury to the face accompanied by tooth injury

A dental emergency is not only about the appearance of a tooth, but preventing further complications.

Difference Between Broken Tooth and Chipped Tooth

Although the terms may sound the same, there could be significant differences in the damage suffered by your tooth.

Chipped Tooth

A chip of your enamel may come off, making the area look rough or uneven. You won't feel any pain at all or experience only minimal discomfort.

Broken Tooth

The damage may affect a bigger part of your tooth structure and could expose its inner layers. Possible symptoms include toothache, sensitivity to hot and cold stimuli, pain when chewing food, inflammation, and risk of an infection.

Cracked Tooth

The crack can go across part of your tooth and may not be easy to spot at first glance. The discomfort is usually felt when chewing food and when releasing your bite.

Why Do Teeth Crack or Chip?

There are many possible reasons for tooth fracture. Some causes are as follows:

• Chewing on tough or hard foods
• Falling accidents
• Injuries sustained during physical activity or sports
• Car crashes
• Grinding or clenching of teeth (bruxism)
• Fillings that have been there for a long time and weakened the tooth structure
• Tooth decay

At times, a tooth that cracks "suddenly" was already compromised because of decay, a dental filling, or a crack before the fracture occurred. That is why merely repairing the damaged part is not sufficient. The dentist has to figure out the reason for the tooth cracking in the first place.

What Can You Expect from the Broken Tooth Dentist?

Firstly, the broken tooth and surrounding tissue will be examined by the dentist. It could involve the following:

• Clinical examination
• Masticatory examination
• Tooth mobility examination
• Sensitivity test
• Checking for cracks and fractures
• Dental X-ray examinations as necessary

The purpose is to find out if the damage affects only the outer parts of the tooth or its deeper layers. Especially in cases when a broken tooth causes you pain, since it means that there is damage to the inner tooth.

Avoid This When Your Tooth Breaks

It's important to know what you shouldn’t do, too. Before you visit your dentist:

• Do not chew hard food using the same side of your mouth.
• Do not try gluing your teeth back by yourself.
• Do not mess with the damaged part.
• Do not use anything sharp for examining your cracked tooth.
• Do not put the aspirin on your gums.
• Do not ignore the swelling and the pain.

But most importantly, do not think that a painless broken tooth is fine. Sometimes a dental injury doesn’t cause much pain, but it requires treatment.

When to Visit a Dentist for Tooth Injury

Preferably, visit the dentist at your earliest convenience following any injury to your tooth. This will aid in establishing if your tooth is salvageable and whether there are any injuries requiring additional treatment.

If you are looking for a cracked tooth dentist in Hyderabad or a fractured tooth dentist in Hyderabad, you should consider a dental clinic that is capable of analyzing the extent of the damage as well as the future well-being of your tooth.

At Core Dental, the objective isn’t just to restore the damaged part of the tooth. It’s to diagnose what damage has been done, save what healthy parts of the tooth are still left, restore its functionality, and give a natural-looking result.

Can a Damaged Tooth be Repaired?

Yes, for most of them. Restorative dentistry now provides a variety of ways to repair a damaged tooth, ranging from bonding and fillings to crowns and root canals. However, which one to choose will depend on:

• The size of the crack
• The place of the tooth
• The involvement of the pulp
• The presence of decay or fillings
• Your occlusion (bite)
• The state of the neighboring teeth and gums

And that is why it is better not to choose a treatment by looking at pictures and searching online. A dentist should look at the tooth first to see how it can be safely repaired.

Need Help Fixing Broken Tooth in Hyderabad?

Having a chipped or broken tooth is quite surprising. The important thing is what you do next. Keep any pieces that have been broken off. Take care of the tooth. Deal with the pain accordingly. But most importantly, schedule a dental checkup before the problem gets worse.

Here at Core Dental, we use proper diagnosis along with modern restorative procedures to enable our clients to restore their broken teeth. Be it dental bonding, fillings, crowns, root canal, or any other type of restoration procedure, your treatment must always depend upon the condition of your individual tooth.