What to do if a tooth is broken?

 Of course, if such an incident happens, you go to the dentist directly. What can a dentist offer you?

In addition to your own dentist, I recommend that you consult a number of different dental clinics. This will allow you to get a broader picture of the situation, as each doctor will act on their own well-established practice and will (not always, but for the most part) of course recommend the use of their preferred method of treatment. In addition to expanding one's own knowledge, personal contact with a doctor and the clinic's pricing policy are also important.

It was a necessary diversion but let us get back to the topic and talk about what modern dentistry can offer a patient in a situation where his tooth is broken.

During the consultation, the doctor will determine the extent of the damage to the tooth, the condition of the tooth root, and, if necessary, take an X-ray. Then there are several ways to solve the problem.

If only a small piece of the tooth has been lost, but the appearance of the tooth is important to the patient (the tooth is visible when smiling or its absence impairs his quality of life), the problem can be solved in two ways: reconstructing the tooth with composite materials or laminating.

Composite material is, in fact, the material used to create dental fillings, and that is why I see tooth restoration based on it as a temporary patch, I use composite material in this practice for this very purpose. If, for example, the patient wants to restore the tooth in place and does not have time to wait, or vice versa, the treatment lasts longer, then during the treatment we will install a temporary composite material replacement for the patient. Filling composites are in principle temporary solutions, the packaging of some manufacturers also states in the instructions for use that the material is not recommended for use for more than three years.

Laminates are thin plates made of different materials (can be made of composite material, ceramic material or zircon) that imitate the front surface of a damaged tooth and are attached to the tooth. Ceramic material has better abrasion resistance and strength than composite materials. Therefore, correctly installed laminates also have a significantly longer service life. However, zircon is an important advance in dentistry in the strength of the materials used. It is several times stronger than ceramic material, being hypoallergenic, but of course also much more expensive. Therefore, for small tooth restorations, the preferred laminate material is zirconium or ceramic and not composite. Two visits are required to use the laminates: during the first visit, a mold is taken from the shape of the tooth, and during the second visit, the laminate is attached to the cement layer on the tooth surface. Our clinic has its own laboratory, which means that one or more teeth can be "restored" in 2 days.

If the tooth is quite severely broken, but at least 1/3 of its protruding part is still present, it is possible to rebuild the tooth with the help of composite materials or it is possible to install a crown.

The crown can be made of many different materials: gold, metal alloys, ceramics, metal-based compounds with a ceramic outer part, zircon. In our clinic, we use the most durable and aesthetically pleasing-looking material currently available, zirconia. Due to the strength of this material, it is possible to create a crown with a smaller thickness and therefore it is necessary to remove less from the tooth compared to other materials used (more information about crowns can be found in this article). The crown is placed so that it completely covers the entire surface of the broken tooth and thus prevents bacteria from entering the tooth. At the same time, crowns can be used for up to 20-25 years or even longer. The treatment lasts similar to the laminates, two visits. The first visit sets out what the tooth will look like under the crown and makes the teeth a form to use to prepare the crown before the next visit, during which the crown is placed on the tooth.

If only the root of the broken tooth remains, then it is not worth giving up, because in this case it is also possible to choose between several different treatment methods. If the tooth root itself is in good condition and long enough, it is possible to put a pin in place. Using a pin, it is possible to reconstruct a tooth blunt, which can then be covered with a crown. Simply put, the pin is the part that connects the tooth root and the crown. The pin is indicated for use when the tooth bone is narrow enough for implantation and there is a risk that the bone will crack or break when the tooth root is removed. It is also an option that can be used when the risk of implantation is too high, for example if the patient has diabetes. The treatment lasts 2-3 visits.

If luck has left you and the root of the missing tooth is in poor condition, the tooth root is not suitable for inserting a pin or the tooth has fallen out completely, implantation will help. If necessary, it is possible to remove the tooth root and place a titanium implant, if possible, immediately or 3-4 months later, depending on the situation. During the next 3-6 months, the implant osseo-integrates or grows together with the bone, then it is possible to place the crown in 2 visits as described above. During implant implantation, if aesthetics need to be considered, it is possible to replace the missing tooth with a polymeric material replacement that mimics and replaces the missing tooth. It is important to note that if the bone is narrow above the missing tooth, it has to be rebuilt, which of course takes a while (on average about six months) and also costs a bit (you can read more about implants here).

It is possible that the article got a little boring, but that is not all! Some patients may be even more unlucky and may not be able to use the implantation option, especially in cases where it is not possible to grow a tooth bone, the distance between the teeth next to the missing tooth is too small, there is an upper jaw near the missing tooth, and so on. The indication for such cases is to place crowns on the teeth next to the missing tooth and to create a bridge between them, which in this case closes the gap due to the missing tooth. It is understandable that no one wants to start brushing their whole teeth, but as we have said before, the lifespan of crowns can be as long as 25 years, the idea of ​​which compensates for the moral torment associated with this procedure.

As we can see, there are many ways to solve a problem in the case of a tooth fracture, but first it is worth going to the clinic for a consultation, then we can create clarity and find the most suitable solution in your situation.