Dentists Advice - Everything's Fun And Games Until Somebody Breaks A Tooth

You don't exactly feel like the world's biggest genius when you're rough-housing or being an idiot and you break a tooth. Most of us don't like dentists (nothing personal) and we really don't like the idea of them doing something surgical in our mouths. So what do you do when you've broken a tooth? Hang on a minute before you start calling dentists and read on.

How To Tell If It's Broken

First of all, how do you know if you've gotten a broken tooth? They usually don't hurt unless you've gotten it chipped all the way down to the root. You usually know something's not right when you can feel a sharp area with your tongue on the edge of a tooth. You can confirm that this is so by looking into the nearest mirror. 

Sometimes there is a little pain when you chew. You'll notice a sharp pain in the same area. Fractures can be caused by cavities as well, so there may be pain because of that too. It might be a shallow fracture that only hits the nerves when you bite down on something. If in doubt, dentists can tell you for sure if it's a broken tooth you're dealing with.

Why You Should Get It Fixed

Let's say it's not causing you any pain - then, why do you need the help of dentists? After all, can't you live with a tiny fracture in just one of your teeth? The answer is that you can easily live with a tiny fracture and never even know it's there. The only problem is that tiny cracks become huge fractures really quickly. Days of biting and chewing add up, and the wear and tear will widen that crack until it starts to get to a nerve - and THAT hurts.

What Dentists Can Do

First, your dentist will take an x-ray. This will show them the extent of the damage, and this determines which treatment is best. If it's in no danger of widening further or causing more damage, they might suggest doing nothing at all about it. Dentists don't like to operate unless they have to. If the chip is just a cosmetic problem, they might just file it down so that it's even again. Contrary to what you're mind's imagining right now, this doesn't hurt at all and takes just minutes to do.

If there is just minor damage on the outside but it could become more serious, they may suggest using dental veneers. These are porcelain veneers that fit over the tooth and basically help to hold everything together. They also cover up the crack so that nobody can tell it's there.

The traditional method for serious cracks is the dental crown. This fits over everything nicely so that it's all in one piece again. They're slightly noticeable but don't stand out nearly as much as a giant crack in your tooth. Another option here is to fill the cracked area in.

If you've got a very serious problem, they may yank out the whole tooth and replace it with a dental implant. While you may be cringing right now thinking about this option, consider that dental implants are an excellent new technology for replacing teeth. They look so real that no one will ever know. They also fuse with the root underneath so that they basically remain permanently. With all of the anesthesia options available, this can be painless and maybe even slightly pleasant.

Dentists have lots of options for fixing fractured teeth. Get yourself to the nearest qualified dental professional and have them work their magic for you.