Realizing that you have broken a tooth can be an extremely worrisome experience. Not all broken teeth occur from physical trauma or an accident. Teeth can break slowly after a small crack sustains continuous pressure over time, or a break can happen very suddenly when existing dental work in a tooth becomes compromised. If you’re concerned that you’ve broken a tooth because you see that a piece is missing or you have a new crack, don’t become overwhelmed. Ask your dentist as soon as possible about whether you may be able to save your tooth. If it turns out that you can’t save your tooth, you can replace it easier than you might think.
How Can You Tell if a Tooth Is Cracked or if It’s Completely Broken?
You may observe small hairline fractures along the surface of one or more of your teeth. These fractures are typically limited to the area of your tooth that is above the gumline. If any of these fractures appear to be growing longer or becoming thicker, you should ask your dentist if it will be possible to get an onlay or a crown to prevent the fracture from spreading to the root of the tooth. A tooth appears to be in pieces and moves is most likely broken below the gumline and will need to be extracted. Your dentist may probe the root of your tooth. A dental x-ray may show a deep fracture, but x-rays don’t show most fractures because they produce only a two-dimensional image.
Should You Replace an Extracted Tooth?
After a tooth has been extracted, you’ll start losing bone density in the area of your jaw where your tooth is missing. The surrounding teeth will likely begin moving, and it could shift your teeth out of alignment in a chain reaction. Implants can help you preserve your existing bite and spare you from any difficulty chewing. For help with Brooklyn dental implants, go to a practice that specializes in providing patients with implants. It’s best to get implants relatively soon after an extraction before bone loss occurs.
Will an Implant Look Different From Other Teeth?
A dental implant will feel a little different from your natural teeth, much in the same way that a crown does. An implant feels very hard and smooth, not as porous as natural teeth. Your dentist or oral surgeon can match the color of an implant very closely to the rest of your teeth, so it won’t appear unnatural.
