Split teeth: common causes and how to treat them
Both for health and aesthetics, we need to take care of our teeth to show off a healthy smile. One of the dental problems that can give us a complex is having a broken piece or tooth.
At Clínica Gallardo y Jiménez we have prepared this article in which we explain the main causes of tooth fractures, what to do if this happens to us, and the treatment to follow in these cases.
Why do teeth break?
At first glance it may seem that blows or falls are the main cause of cracked teeth, but the reality is that their origin can be very diverse and be related to dental health diseases.
Below we explain the usual but not so obvious reasons why a tooth can break:
- Caries: it is one of the most dangerous problems that exist for our teeth and can also be the cause of a broken tooth. This is because cavities gradually weaken the structure, causing holes to remain inside and break.
- Enamel in poor condition: the wear of dental enamel is another cause of broken teeth. Due to poor hygiene, the enamel that protects the dental pieces wears away, causing various dental problems, among them, that we are more prone to our teeth breaking.
- Bruxism: occurs when we unconsciously clench our jaws. This pressure that we exert damages our teeth and in extreme cases we can end up with a fractured tooth.
What to do if we have a split tooth?
Having a broken tooth is very painful, to the point that it prevents us from eating or even speaking normally. Therefore, it is important that in case we have a fractured tooth we put ourselves in the hands of a specialist as soon as possible.
When the reason for the break is a blow or a fall and because of the wound we begin to bleed, we must remain calm and clean the wound properly to prevent bacteria from accumulating and becoming infected. In the event that we do not have the tooth broken in its entirety, but rather a fragment of the piece, we must keep it (we will explain the reason later).
When the broken tooth is the consequence of a dental disease, it is much more complex to be aware that we have this problem until the fracture finally occurs. For this type of case, it is important not to miss any anomaly that we feel in our teeth. Good dental health habits and regular visits to the dentist.
How to restore a split tooth?
When a patient comes to our clinic with a fractured tooth, we apply one treatment or another depending on how the fracture occurred and the state of the tooth.
Previously, we recommend that if the fracture has occurred partially, you keep the fragment because it is possible to perform a reconstruction. This is the ideal solution since the result is natural and we can return the smile to the state it had before. However, very specific conditions are needed to be able to rebuild a split tooth.
Fortunately, there are other solutions for those cases of broken teeth in which reconstruction is not possible. The most common is to place a dental implant to replace the original piece. This solution is not as fast as the previous one but it still achieves an aesthetic and perfectly functional result.
Remember that if you ever need to rebuild or replace a broken tooth at Clínica Gallardo & Jiménez we have a team of specialists ready to help you restore your smile.
Ortodoncista especializada en estética dental, ortodoncia y endodoncia, con un amplio bagaje profesional siempre aportando el mejor tratamiento posible, donde te acompañaremos durante todo tu proceso para que te sientas cómodo y seguro.
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