Can your broken tooth be fixed?
Posted on: 18 March 2015
You're playing tennis, when you're hit by the ball right in the mouth. Ouch. But you're okay, a little shocked but nothing a sit down and some deep breaths won't fix. And that's when you realise that your mouth feels different. Your tongue probes at your teeth and there it is, a broken tooth right at the front of your mouth, or a chip in one tooth or perhaps a tooth has been knocked out. Is your smile forever broken or can it be fixed? Yes, of course your broken tooth can be fixed!
While a broken or knocked out tooth cannot be treated at home consider what will happen on your way to the dentist, and when you are there.
Saving your natural tooth
If your whole tooth has been knocked out, make sure it is clean and immediately put it back into the empty socket, then see your dentist immediately. If the tooth requires cleaning, then rinse it in milk or a saline solution, such as content lens fluid. Do not use water.
If your tooth has been broken, clean the broken fragment as above and place it in a saline solution, a container with your own saliva or inside your mouth in your cheek and take it to the dentist.
Do not let your tooth dry out. By doing all of these things you are giving your tooth a chance of survival which means you gain a greater chance of keeping your natural tooth.
A crown
If your natural tooth cannot be saved then a crown may be fitted to cover up the broken part. Any sharp parts will be removed along with any permanently damaged parts of the tooth. A cap will be fitted over the tooth to mask the damage. The crown will match the colour of your teeth and is covered in porcelain.
Bonding
This is essentially a filling. If you have chipped away at the enamel of your tooth, then filling can be applied to make the tooth whole again. Similarly, if you have broken one of your front teeth then the resin used in filling can be shaped to match your tooth. It is then hardened and stuck onto your broken tooth to give you back your smile.
A broken or knocked out tooth does not mean you have to stop smiling. There is always a way to fix your teeth, as long as stay calm and see your dentist immediately. For more information, check out companies such as DC Dental.
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