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Helping to restore the function of your teeth
Broken teeth are a common dental emergency.
Our teeth are extremely strong but they can chip, crack (fracture) or break for a number of different reasons including:
- Biting into a hard item of food or trying to break something with your teeth
- Trauma –ie a blow to the face/ mouth or falling over
- Trauma due to contact sports –eg rugby
- Having cavities that weaken the tooth
- General wear and tear
- Poor oral health
What can I do?
When a tooth chips or breaks it may not always hurt, especially with minor tooth fractures, but if a larger piece of the tooth breaks away it can cause severe pain and discomfort. Pain from a broken tooth can be felt in a number of different ways depending on how it has broken and may be intermittent or constant, or may only be felt when chewing or biting onto the tooth as this puts pressure on the tooth.
Our Leicester dentists at Glen Dental offer emergency dentist appointments to all patients and will try to see you on the same day whenever possible. If you have broken a tooth please contact our reception team immediately and we will book you in for an appointment as soon as possible.
- Aim to see a dentist as soon as possible to determine the cause of the break
- Consider all options to treat the tooth that may range from a filling or root canal treatment if the nerve of the tooth is damaged or infected
- The sooner that a dentist assesses your tooth the sooner a solution can be found for your broken tooth
- Discuss ways to prevent broken teeth with your dentist
Until you are able to see a dentist you can do the following:
- Rinse your mouth really well with a mouthwash or warm water
- Apply pressure with a piece of gauze on any bleeding areas for about 20 minutes or until the bleeding stops
- Apply a cold pack to the cheek or lips over the broken tooth to help reduce swelling and relieve pain
- If you can’t get to your dentist right away, cover the part of the tooth that is in your mouth with a temporary dental filling material. Large pharmacies and supermarkets stock emergency temporary filling kits
- Take an over-the-counter pain killer if necessary
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Minor Cracks:
These are surface cracks that affect only the outer enamel surface of the tooth. Minor cracks may not need treatment however your dentist may need to lightly polish the area to smooth any rough areas.
Chips:
Chipped teeth don’t always need treatment. Your dentist may suggest repairing the chipped tooth with a filling material to prevent it from getting worse or to make the tooth look and feel better. If the chip is very small, the dentist may lightly polish and smooth out the chipped area.
Cracked Tooth:
This type of fracture involves the whole tooth, from the chewing surface all the way down to the nerve. The pieces of the tooth remain in place but the crack gradually spreads. Cracks can sometimes be repaired with filling material but the tooth often needs a crown to prevent the crack from getting worse. If the nerve is damaged or infected you may also need root canal treatment.
Serious Breaks:
These breaks go deep enough to expose the nerve. They almost always cause the tooth to hurt and be sensitive and often the broken part of the tooth may bleed. You will need root canal treatment to remove the exposed nerve and probably a crown to restore the tooth to normal function so you can eat and chew properly. Occasionally, a more serious break may extend into the root of the tooth and may require removal of the tooth
Decay-Induced Break:
In this case, the tooth has broken or crumbled away because a cavity weakened it from the inside out. Your dentist will assess the cavity and recommend the best way to restore the tooth. In some cases, if the decay is extensive and goes down to the root the tooth may have to be removed.
SUCCESS STORIES
"I’ve recently had my teeth whitening done by Lina, the results are amazing and I can’t stop smiling. Lina and the rest of the staff are so lovely and welcoming, they gave me lots of information about the procedure before I had it done and answered any questions I had. Would definitely recommend this dental clinic."
PW, Leicester"Just completed my Invisalign treatment with Shrik and over the moon with how easy and painless the whole process was, the treatment only took 5 months and I feel so much more confident about my straighter and whiter teeth-thank you"
AC, Kibworth“Lina has helped to restore my faith in dentists, her calm and gentle approach has helped me to achieve the smile that I have longed for.”
IP, Leicester“I am a nervous patient and I have always found Glen Dental and all the staff there to be very sensitive to my fears. They are very reassuring and kind and I wouldn't hesitate in recommending them to anyone.”
FW, Kibworth"Such a lovely practice, I cannot praise Glen Dental enough! Having now completed my treatment including 2 fillings and a crown I would highly recommend to anyone, inc nervous or anxious patients. Shrik & all his team are very helpful, reassuring and understanding. A very professional and friendly service. Thank you."
CB, Market Harborough"Registered with Glen Dental after a friend's recommendation and I have had three visits and a course of treatment to replace a crown on one of my teeth. Service has been excellent throughout and I especially like the way that Shrik explained at every step of the way exactly what he proposed to do and why. I am pleased my wife and I made the switch to this practice and can recommend it to others who may be considering doing so themselves. At all times there is a level of professionalism which is very reassuring and all the staff are friendly and welcoming."
DW, Oadby"Wonderful friendly staff, helped me get back on top of my dental hygiene. Very informative through each appointment.I would highly recommend have done a wonderful job. Thanks again for the great service Glen Dental"
TC, Great Glen“I cannot praise Glen Dental enough, the care and attention to detail provided to all of my family has been exceptional and Shrik has been a true professional throughout.”
PR, Oadby