Jonesborough, Jefferson City, and Greeneville, TN
A dental emergency can be a painful disruption to your day, especially when you break a tooth. Whether the break occurs during an accident or while eating, immediate action is necessary to prevent further damage and alleviate pain. While some cases involve minor chips, severe fractures that extend to the gum line may raise concerns about restoration possibilities. Today on the blog, our dentists in Greeneville address the causes for a broken tooth, as well as potential treatments for restoring a tooth broken at the gum line.
Broken Tooth Causes
A broken tooth often results from sudden impact or pressure, causing pain and discomfort. Teeth may suffer accidental trauma during regular activities like eating crunchy foods when they have weakened enamel due to age, large fillings, or extensive decay. Although you can’t prevent most accidents, there are things you can do to reduce your risk of harm. First, practicing good oral hygiene and visiting our Erwin family dentists every six months for a dental cleaning. This procedure removes the bacteria that weaken tooth enamel and allow us an opportunity to discover potential problems that may lead to a future broken tooth.
How do we treat a broken tooth?
There is no one-size-fits-all method to fix a broken tooth. At Tusculum Dental Care, our dentists will assess your oral health and may recommend one or more of the procedures treatments to restore your smile.
Dental Crown: Severely damaged teeth may require dental crowns to provide complete coverage and protection for the remaining tooth enamel and root system. Furthermore, a crown will restore biting functionality and your smile’s aesthetics. Other treatments might be necessary to rebuild the tooth structure near the gum line to support the crown adequately.
Root Canal: Fractures that expose the tooth’s pulp chamber may require root canal therapy to clean and seal the affected area. Although hearing about a root canal can strike fear in most patients, modern techniques can ensure a painless procedure. The procedure involves removing damaged tissue and bacteria, sealing the chamber, and placing a custom-made crown on the tooth to replace the exterior of the treated tooth.
Tooth Replacement: While preserving natural teeth is highly preferred, extraction may be necessary in cases of severe damage. In the case the broken tooth must be removed, Tusculum Dental Care offers multiple methods of tooth replacement, but a dental implant offers a virtually permanent solution. A titanium post is surgically placed into the jawbone where the tooth root resided; this provides a stable foundation for attaching custom-designed crowns. Dental implants offer many benefits beyond restoring function and aesthetics; they also help retain jawbone health.
Emergency Dentistry in Greeneville, Jonesborough and Erwin, Tennessee
Whether your tooth broke because of decay or an accident, if you or a member of your family deals with this situation, we encourage you to contact us immediately at Tusculum Dental Care to preserve your oral health and restore your smile. Although you can’t prevent accidents, you can reduce the chance they’ll happen through preventive care to ensure healthy gums and teeth. However, when a broken tooth strikes, we offer emergency dental care, as needed, on a 24/7 basis. To learn more about our services, call our office at (423) 639-7575.