Breaking a tooth can be a shocking experience. It might happen while eating, playing sports, or suddenly — crack! — your tooth chips, fractures, or even breaks completely. It hurts, affects your appearance and speech, and makes eating difficult. Acting quickly is essential.
Ignoring a fractured tooth can lead to infection or more serious complications. At NewStar Dental in Fort Lauderdale, we provide urgent, careful treatment for broken teeth. From minor chips to severe fractures, we offer effective solutions to restore your smile and relieve pain. The sooner you seek care, the better your chances of saving your natural tooth.
Why Teeth Break
Teeth can break for a variety of reasons. Accidents such as falls or sports injuries are common causes, as are biting hard objects like ice, popcorn kernels, or candy. Cavities or worn enamel make teeth more vulnerable, and grinding or clenching during sleep can weaken them over time. Understanding the cause of the damage helps prevent future problems. Children, athletes, and those with weaker enamel are especially at risk.
Types of Tooth Damage
Damage can range from small chips to complete breaks. Cracks may be so thin they’re barely visible but can cause sharp pain when chewing hot or cold foods. Chips are minor breaks in the enamel, often painless but noticeable. Complete breaks can expose the nerve and are extremely painful, requiring immediate care.
A tooth consists of enamel, dentin, and pulp, and the treatment approach depends on which layers are affected and how severe the fracture is.
What to Do Immediately
If your tooth breaks, quick action can make all the difference. Follow these steps:
- Rinse gently: Use warm water, but do not scrub the broken area.
- Control bleeding: Bite softly on clean gauze; slight bleeding is normal.
- Relieve pain: Take over-the-counter pain medication if needed, but avoid applying aspirin directly to the tooth.
- Save fragments: Store any broken pieces in milk or saline solution for your dentist.
- Avoid chewing: Do not eat until your dentist has examined the tooth.
- Call your dentist immediately: Especially if front teeth are broken or severe pain occurs.
Even minor chips can benefit from professional care, so don’t wait.
Professional Treatment Options
Dentists can repair a broken tooth in several ways. Tooth bonding uses a tooth-colored resin to quickly fix chips and restore appearance, though it may not be as durable as other methods. Veneers and crowns cover teeth to improve appearance and strength, while root canal therapy treats infected or damaged pulp, often followed by a crown. If a tooth cannot be saved, dental implants provide a permanent, natural-looking replacement. At NewStar Dental, we evaluate your tooth, lifestyle, and needs to determine the most appropriate treatment, relieving pain and restoring your confidence.
Preventing Future Damage
Maintaining healthy teeth is key to avoiding damage. Avoid chewing ice or hard objects, wear a mouthguard during sports, and visit your dentist regularly. Brushing, flossing, and proper diet strengthen enamel, and children should be supervised during play. Nightguards help protect teeth for those who grind them during sleep. Small daily habits can prevent damage and keep your smile healthy and pain-free.
Conclusion
You never know when a tooth will break or chip: A fall, sports injury, or biting something too hard can cause it. However, prompt dental care can make a significant difference in whether a tooth will be saved or develop complications following injury.
NewStar Dental in Fort Lauderdale is there with kind, same-day emergency and cosmetic dental care. All our efforts are directed toward restoring the function and appearance of the tooth without compromising your comfort at any stage of the process.
There is no need to go through all this alone. The sooner a person sees a dentist, the less pain, infection, and damage from the tooth will accumulate, and the better the outcome will be in the long run.
Contact NewStar Dental today for repairs to your tooth and protection of your smile — for the proper treatment deserved by your teeth and your confidence.
