If you have broken a tooth, you might not necessarily be in any pain, but it is still important that you are seen by our dental provider as soon as possible. Doing so can prevent further damage to your affected tooth and will ensure that you can manage any discomfort that does occur.

If your break occurs out of regular hours, it is recommended that you visit an emergency dental provider, such as our dentistry offices here in Denver, CO where our experienced team of experts can assess your broken teeth and provide you with a temporary repair to keep you comfortable and prevent further damage.
 

What can cause a tooth to break?

Our teeth are covered in a substance called enamel, which is the hardest substance in our whole body – even harder than bone. While teeth are strong and white, just like bones, they aren’t made from living tissue and as such, they lack the ability to heal themselves. Therefore, if you break a tooth, you will need the support of a professional dentist to repair your smile. 

Unfortunately, broken teeth are a fairly common occurrence. Despite their initial strength, we tend to take our teeth for granted. Many of us unthinkingly use our teeth as tools to open drinks or rip open packaging while even the slightest slip in our dental cleaning routine can trigger the decline to our teeth weakening. Some of the most common causes of a broken tooth include:

- Having cavities that weaken the tooth

- Having large, older amalgam fillings that are unable to support the remaining enamel of the tooth

- Biting down on something hard

- A blunt force trauma to the face

Exactly how a tooth breaks can vary. Not all broken teeth cause pain and you may not notice that your tooth has sustained any damage until you feel a sharp, jagged edge. If a large part of the tooth has broken off, you may find that the nerves inside it are exposed and this is when acute dental pain is more likely. If you are experiencing bleeding, you should apply pressure with a cloth until the bleeding stops. You may also want to apply a cold pack to your face to limit the swelling that might occur.

If your tooth has sustained a hairline fracture you are unlikely to have any severe symptoms, but you should still seek an appointment with our dental team as the fracture will have weakened the tooth structure. You may also notice some dental pain that flares when you put pressure on the tooth, such as when eating.
 

Treatment options for a broken tooth

Which treatment you will be recommended will largely depend on the type of break that you have sustained. Bear in mind that if you are attending an emergency dental appointment, you may only be given a temporary repair to see you through until a regular appointment for a permanent solution becomes available.

Some of the most common treatment options for broken teeth include:

- Repairing the damage using filling material.

- Inlays or Onlays which repair the chewing surface of larger teeth.

- A dental crown that covers the damaged tooth entirely.

- Root canal treatment. This is recommended where there is an exposed nerve as a result of the broken tooth.

- Dental extraction if the tooth cannot be saved.

- A course of antibiotics to help prevent infection.

If you are looking for an emergency dental provider in Denver CO, contact Barotz Dental. Our experienced team of dental professionals can handle all varieties of a dental emergency, including broken and damaged teeth.