Cracked or Broken Teeth

Cracked or Broken Teeth

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We all know that things like a broken tooth seem to happen when you’re least expecting it. At Northstar Dental, we’re here to help. We understand how stressful any dental emergency can be. In our article we’ll discuss the following topics:

• 5 Steps To Follow For a Cracked or Broken Teeth

• Variations of Broken Teeth

• Answers To Commonly Asked Questions About Broken Teeth

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Although teeth can endure great pressure, they can still break now and again. Small breaks don’t always hurt, but if your tooth’s root becomes cracked, you’ll experience a great deal of discomfort. Broken teeth are typically caused by hard biting, nighttime grinding, or extreme trauma. If this has happened to you, follow the steps below and get your tooth taken care of as soon as possible.

Here are the steps you can take if you’ve cracked or broken a tooth:

1. Call our office or our emergency dentist number (if after hours).
2. Use lukewarm water to rinse your mouth gently as well as the tooth fragment if you still have it.
3. If there is any bleeding, try to stop it by applying gentle pressure or biting down on some gauze.
4. Use a cold compress on your cheek to help reduce or minimize swelling.
5. If you feel discomfort, take a common over-the-counter medication until you can come into our office.

Variations of Broken Teeth

Fractured teeth can include many different types of broken teeth. Emergency dental treatment is suggested for most cases, although some types of breaks are less severe than others. Continue reading to learn more about the different kinds of broken teeth.

Craze Lines

Some teeth will develop small cracks in the enamel or the very outer layer of a tooth. These are often referred to as craze lines. Usually, you won’t need to have craze lines treated. They aren’t typically a sign of decay, and they usually don’t cause any discomfort unless other issues are also present. Having routine maintenance of your teeth will ensure that you are taking care of any craze lines with good habits at home.

Split Teeth

If a tooth has a deeper, clearer split line, usually the roots and crown of the tooth are severely damaged. The open split allows the tooth to be more susceptible to infection and decay. Split teeth typically cause a great amount of discomfort, since they leave the root exposed. Our dentists can sometimes put a cap on the tooth to keep it protected, but otherwise, we’ll need to extract any teeth that have been split. In most cases, split teeth are a cause for concern and should be looked at by your emergency dentist immediately.

Chipped Teeth

Chipped teeth are likely the most common types of breaks our emergency dentists encounter. While chipped teeth don’t typically hurt, many times it means a tooth’s enamel is damaged. Chipped teeth are usually an easy fix, needing only some cosmetic bonding.

Deep Cracks

If your tooth has a deep crack, our emergency dentist should see you right away. If there isn’t any decay inside the tooth, we can usually correct the crack with a filling. However, if decay has gotten inside the crack, your dentist will have to walk you through more complex options. We can also keep an eye out for cracks when you come in for routine check-ups.

Broken Teeth

If a tooth completely breaks, it will usually expose the nerves beneath it. This poses major dental problems, including immediate discomfort. At this point, one of our emergency dentists will need to clean and remove the nerve of your tooth, often referred to as root canal therapy. This will help keep the discomfort from becoming severe. Then your dentist will place a crown over the tooth to keep it protected from decay or further trauma.

 

Commonly asked questions about broken tooth repair or cracked teeth

What can you do at home with a chipped/cracked tooth?

Are you wondering what to do about broken or cracked teeth? If you have damaged your tooth and you are experiencing discomfort, take an over-the-counter medication such as ibuprofen or Tylenol. Hold a cold compress to the affected area of your face to help with any discomfort. It is important to make an appointment with your emergency dentist immediately. If you cannot get into your emergency dentist immediately, you may be able to use some temporary dental cement. Kits are available from your local pharmacy.

 

What can your dentist do for a cracked tooth?

If a tooth fractures badly, the most common option for your dentist is to crown the tooth. But what happens if decay has already set in?

If the infection in your tooth has reached the nerve, then your dentist will need to perform a root canal treatment. This involves going into the center of the tooth and removing the nerve. Your Lincoln dentist will then fill the nerve space with a neutral medicine. Afterwards, the dentist will cap or crown the tooth.

If the roots of the tooth have been damaged, your dentist may not be able to perform root canal therapy. If this is the case, and it is not possible to save the tooth, the appropriate course of action would be to extract the tooth. This relieves the discomfort and stops the infection from spreading to other teeth.

To learn more about dental emergencies and how to avoid and treat them, contact us today!

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The information on this page was written by Dr. Kimberly Polley.

This gentle Lincoln, NE dentists says: “I believe that everyone is entitled to a healthy life. I am happy to work with my patients’ concerns and help them overcome their fears. Consequently, once they overcome their fears, they can routinely receive the dental care that they need, resulting in a healthy, beautiful smile.”

You can schedule with this Lincoln, NE dentist, or her partners, online 24/7 at her North Lincoln Location of Nebraska Family Dentistry. This “dentist near me” serves the local communities close to Northstar Dental in Waverly, Davey, Raymond, Garland, Ceresco, Greenwood, and Malcom.

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 Check out the “What can you do for a broken filling” video

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We have 7 locations in Lincoln, NE!

• Lincoln Family Dentistry – Central Lincoln
• South Lincoln Family Dentistry – South Lincoln
• Northeast Lincoln Family Dentistry – Northeast Lincoln
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• Coddington Dental – West Lincoln
• NorthStar Dental – North Lincoln
• SouthPointe Dental – Southwest Lincoln
• Emergency Dentist NE – Emergency Dental Care
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Nebraska Family Dentistry has dental clinic locations in all parts of Lincoln! Choose a “dentist near me” location that is convenient for you.