If you are in an accident and a large piece of your tooth breaks off, you do not need to question if you should seek dental treatment. But any kind of broken tooth needs to be addressed quickly to avoid more serious and invasive dental treatments in the future. A broken tooth from eating, exercising, or wear and tear is more than a flaw in your smile. A broken tooth will affect how you chew. A broken tooth will expose sensitive inner layers of your tooth and its nerve. A broken tooth needs to be examined by a dentist to determine the extent of the damage and the best treatment plan.
Not every chip or crack requires immediate treatment. If you experience a small chip and it is not sensitive or painful, then you can wait until your next dental appointment to have it screened. Deeper tooth fractures that expose the inner layers, however, allow bacteria, heat, cold, and pressure from chewing to aggravate the dentin and pulp. When you do not treat the deeper crack, you can count on having pain quickly, developing an abscess, and damaging the tooth nerve tissue irreparably.
A broken tooth is an emergency if you are experiencing pain because pain is the clearest sign that your tooth requires dental attention. Sharp and persistent or throbbing pain indicates that the nerve of the tooth is irritated. This can happen from a break that allows air, liquids, and bacteria to enter the pulp. If pain increases or if the injury affects the ability to eat or sleep, waiting for routine care may be an invitation for infection.
Another reason your broken tooth is an emergency is if a chunk of tooth has broken off completely. You will need to address the sharp edge to prevent harming your tongue, gums, or cheeks. You also need to protect the inner layers of your teeth from bacteria. Even if you aren’t experiencing serious pain, you should consider making an appointment quickly if you want to save the rest of your tooth.
A hairline fracture in your tooth may be present even if you aren’t experiencing any other symptoms of a broken tooth. A hairline fracture is difficult to detect, but it allows bacteria to enter the tooth. The longer a hairline fracture goes without treatment, the more you will start to experience symptoms like temperature sensitivity and a dull ache that does not go away. A tooth with a break like this can be treated to spare you pain and more complicated dental treatments to address more serious damage.
Some of the ways to determine if your broken tooth is an emergency are to evaluate your pain level, if you are able to see any damage, and if you notice any changes in the surrounding tissues. You need to take action right away when pain, swelling, bleeding, or a significant portion of your tooth has broken off, or any combination of those signs. Early treatment allows you to alleviate your pain. Early treatment allows you to reduce your risk of infection. Early treatment allows you to protect your long-term dental and gum health.
If you have more questions about broken teeth or how addressing them could help you achieve better dental health, make an appointment with the dentist to see your treatment options for broken teeth.