Struggling with a damaged smile? You might think a broken tooth will fix itself, but that is rarely how it works.
Waiting too long to get help often turns a minor problem into a major, painful headache.
Whether you bit down on something hard or took a hit to the face, you need a plan to save your smile.
Why Your Tooth Cannot Heal Itself
Many people believe a damaged tooth will mend over time just like a scraped knee or a cut finger.
If you have a tiny surface scratch, your enamel might get a little boost from the minerals in your saliva or fluoride products.
This process, known as remineralization, can patch up very small flaws, but it cannot fix real structural damage or regrow lost parts of your tooth.
Because you are not a trained professional, it is hard to tell how deep a crack actually goes.
If you ignore a deeper fracture, bacteria can seep into the inner layers of the tooth.
These germs thrive in the warm, dark space of your pulp chamber, which leads to painful infections and much more complicated dental procedures later on.
Categorizing Different Types of Damage
Not every break is the same, so knowing what you are dealing with helps you know when to seek help.
A chipped tooth usually happens on the surface, and you might not even feel it since there are often no nerves involved in these small, outer breaks.
A cracked tooth is different because the fracture runs through the enamel, the dentin, or even deep into the pulp.
A split tooth is when the outer shell actually starts to separate from the core, creating a gap where food and bacteria can get stuck.
How a Professional Fixes Your Broken Tooth
Once you get to a dentist, they will check the extent of the injury to find the right fix.
For small chips or gaps, they often use bonding, which involves applying a tooth-colored resin that is shaped and hardened in about an hour.
If you have a cavity or a slightly larger hole, the team will clean it out and use a filling made of composite or porcelain to restore the shape.
When the damage is severe, they might recommend a crown.
This is essentially a cap that fits over your tooth to protect it and bring back its original strength.
If a crack reaches the nerve, they will perform a root canal to remove the infected tissue and fill the empty space with a material called gutta-percha.
Finally, they will seal the area and top it with a crown to keep the tooth safe for years to come.
Do not wait for your tooth pain to get worse.
If you have any kind of crack or chip, reach out to the family dentists at Suncreek Dental Group at (303) 933-2522 to schedule an exam today.
Our team is ready to get your smile back to its best shape.
Category: General