Broken Tooth

Broken Tooth

The most common reasons for broken tooth are falling, receiving a blow to the face, bitting down on something hard, or having large cavities that weaken the tooth.


The line of treatment for broken tooth


Minor Cracks

Minor cracks are also called as craze lines. These are surface cracks that affect the outer surface of the tooth called enamel. The outer surface does not require treatment except finishing and polishing of rough spots.

Broken Tooth

This type of fracture involves the enamel and dentin and sometimes upto pulp. If pulp is not involved then it can be repaired with composite filling material. If the pulp is damaged you may need root canal treatment.

Chipped Cusp

These breaks affect the cusp of the tooth. It can be repaired with dental bonding technique using high strength composite resin material. However sometimes tooth need to get crowned.

Breaks in front teeth involving pulp

These breaks the nerve of tooth. This condition is very painful and you will need root canal treatment and core build up with high strength composite resin material.

Broken Tooth FAQs

1Will my tooth become better naturally?
Teeth are unable to be repaired through regeneration so cracks in teeth do not heal. If you have symptoms of a cracked tooth or have been told you have large cracks in teeth, you should have the tooth treated as soon as possible to prevent the risk of the crack getting worse. If left untreated, the tooth may require root canal treatment or removal. If treated early most cracks can be conservatively treated without root canal treatment or removal.
2Why does a cracked tooth hurt?
The crack will expose the inside of the tooth that has very small fluid filled tubes that lead to the pulp. Flexing of the tooth opens the crack and causes movement of the fluid within the tubes. Biting on and releasing pressure off a crack will cause a sudden movement in fluid within the tubes which stimulates the pain receptors in the tooth.
3How can I prevent my teeth from fracturing?
You can reduce the risk of breaking teeth by:
  • Trying to eliminate clenching habits during the day.
  • Avoiding chewing hard objects (eg. betel nuts,bones, pencils).
  • If you think you grind your teeth at night, ask your dentist if a night guard or a splint will be of use to you. Individuals who have problems with tooth wear or “cracked tooth syndrome” should consider wearing a night guard while sleeping. This will absorb most of the grinding forces. Relaxation exercises may be beneficial.
    • 4Can all teeth with fractures be filled?
    Weather a tooth can be restored or not and the type of restoration it requires depends on how badly it had been fractured. Teeth with only slight fractures may be easily restored with small fillings. Teeth that have been affected by larger fractures may require more complex treatment.
    5Is it possible to avoid fillings?
    With proper attention to food, oral self-care, regular dental check-ups, and the correct use of mouth guards to prevent injury, the need for fillings can be eliminated, and the frequency of filling re-placement can be extended.
    6How does the dentist treat a broken tooth?
    This depends on how severely the tooth has been affected by the crack. If the crack is small enough, the dentist may be able to rebuild the fractured area with a composite filling. More severely affected teeth may require porcelain crowns and if the nerve has been affected the tooth may require root canal treatment. In some instances or if left too long, a crack line may cause a fracture to extend too far vertically, rendering a tooth too difficult to save. In this instance, the tooth may require removal and then replacement.

    Example of a broken tooth treated at AuraCare dental clinic

    In this case both upper central incisors have been broken

    The tooth restored using dental bonding techniques involving high strength composite resin material which doesn't require crowning of same teeth.

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