A piece of the front tooth broke off: what to do if it falls out, what causes the enamel to chip

What should you do if a small piece of your front, upper, lower or back tooth breaks off? Is it worth resorting to extraction (completely removing the crown) and then installing a prosthesis? Why do strong, hard tissues crack and make your smile unattractive and chewing food painful? In fact, the problem is quite common and can be eliminated in a short time if you consult a dentist in time and do not neglect treatment. In addition, there are preventive measures that, if followed, will help avoid the formation of cracks and chipping.

Reasons for chipping

What causes pieces of teeth to break off (what to do next depends on the provoking factors) most often:

• Traumatic effects on the dentition. This is possible due to a fight, a fall, or an accidental blow.
• Decreased immunity.
• Poor quality installation of orthodontic structures.
• Hormone imbalance. One of the prerequisites is diabetes mellitus and other endocrine diseases.
• Consumption of harmful foods. Caramel candies, nuts, and the simultaneous consumption of hot and cold foods lead to injury.
• Untreated dental pathologies.
• Incorrect positioning of incisors, canines and molars and nocturnal bruxism.
• Damage to caries. This applies to both the initial and later stages.
• Smoking and other bad habits. Alcohol and cigarettes contribute to the thinning of the enamel layer.
• Demineralization, lack of phosphorus, calcium and other essential substances.
• Low acidity in the mouth. An insufficiently balanced diet leads to an imbalance in the acid-base balance.
• Damage to the filling material.
• Presence of cracks on the surface.
• History of chronic diseases.

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Symptoms

Treatment of a small chip on the enamel of a tooth (front or back) should be started as early as possible. If the broken fragment is too small, it may not cause any discomfort, only aesthetic. This does not mean that you should neglect a visit to the doctor, since very soon the problem will grow to much more serious proportions, and therapy will be long and expensive.

Characteristic symptoms:

• visible cracks on the surface;
• loss of filling;
• exposed nerve endings;
• violation of the integrity of the coronal part;
• increased sensitivity to temperature changes;
• pain syndrome, especially at night.

How much does it cost to fix a chipped tooth?

It happens that people do not seek help because they think that dental restoration is very expensive. In fact, it is easier and cheaper to immediately “fix” a chipped tooth than to wait for bacteria to penetrate through the crack and have to treat pulpitis. Moreover, all our services are available in installments.

In Mira clinics, prices for correction of a chipped tooth start at 2,000 rubles. — this is how much it costs to restore the edges of the front teeth. The final cost of treatment depends on the volume. You can call the clinic and we will tell you how much it costs to fix a chipped tooth in your case. But it’s better, of course, to make an appointment for an inspection - only after assessing the damage can you give an exact price. “Mira” is your dentistry, Krasnoyarsk is not in vain turning to us!

Types of damage

There are several types of dental injuries with fractures. The classification sign is the depth and degree of injury.

Enamel chip or microcrack

In this case, the integrity of the upper layer of hard tissue is compromised - it cracks, or a small fragment separates. Usually such problems are invisible and do not cause discomfort. These are minor defects that can be quickly treated, but people do not rush to the dentist with them, which is a serious mistake.

What to do if part of a front tooth or a piece of a back tooth chips or falls out? It is important to visit a dental clinic as soon as possible. Damaged structures will become a place for the spread of pathogenic microflora, which will provoke the development of caries and other diseases. In addition, the load when chewing food will increase significantly, so half of the crown may fall off at any moment.

Chip with dentin fracture

Dentists classify this type of damage as moderate. Symptoms may be pronounced or completely absent. If the dentin layer is not restored, the unit will gradually crumble and soon fall apart. In addition, the smile will become unattractive, especially if a piece of an incisor is missing.

Deep fracture to the pulp tissue with exposure of the nerve

This is a severe injury with serious symptoms such as bleeding and severe pain. Even strong painkillers help dull unbearable sensations only for a short time. The crown may be missing half or more. If you are late with medical intervention, the risk of infection, inflammation and other pathological processes that are difficult to treat increases significantly.

Features of artistic restoration using composites

First of all, the patient is promptly restored to the shape of the tooth using “available” materials in order to maintain the aesthetics of the smile area during treatment. The level of today's dental materials is so high that some patients are completely satisfied with such restoration and refuse further cooperation. Therefore, for not the most motivated clients, temporary modeling is performed without achieving complete color similarity.

Then a silicone impression is taken from the damaged and temporarily restored tooth, on the basis of which a so-called key will be made, which will allow the artistic part of the work to be completed with high quality.

To achieve an ideal resemblance, the dentist, even with a small chip, has to combine from 3-4 to 5-6 shades of the photopolymer composite. If you do this at random, the patient will not be very pleased with the result: the restored part will differ from natural tissue. The key helps to accurately maintain the relationship between all layers of material of different tones, so that the saturation, lightness and transparency of the restored and natural parts completely coincide.

What to do if a piece of a tooth breaks off

First of all, you need to visit a dentist. Panic is unacceptable, since the situation is fixable, and at the initial stage it is quickly corrected. A specialist should examine the oral cavity and assess the extent of the problem. If the damage is mild or moderate, it is advisable to carry out treatment in the coming days. If the pulp is exposed, you need to urgently go to the doctor on duty. Otherwise, the patient will not be able to eat, rest, or sleep normally due to unbearable pain.

Relieving symptoms at home

To reduce discomfort and relieve pain, it is necessary to organize pre-medical care. The remaining manipulations will be performed by professional doctors after a visit to the dental clinic. Procedure:

1. Rinse your mouth with clean running water.
2. To reduce swelling, apply a cold compress to the inflamed area. Apply a sterile bandage if bleeding occurs.
3. Take painkillers.

If a piece of a tooth breaks off, the nerve hurts, or the root is split, you should not throw away the fragment of tissue; it is better to show it to a doctor. The fragment may be needed for subsequent restoration.

Emergency assistance before visiting the dentist

Immediately after the incident, urgent measures must be taken. All the steps listed above are mandatory: first, splinters and particles of food are removed by rinsing, then cold is applied to the gums to eliminate inflammation and discomfort, and oral analgesics are used.

Additionally, it is recommended to rinse the mouth with a weak antiseptic solution. To do this, you can use chlorhexidine, furatsilin or any other gentle composition.

Treatment by a doctor

There are several ways to repair a chipped tooth (how it is treated depends on the degree of damage and the presence of pain). Therapeutic intervention options:

• Artistic restoration. Special composites are used. Acceptable when breaking off small fragments.
• Installation of veneers and lumineers. Used for cracks, chips and formation of crevices.
• Recover using tabs. This is how a significant piece of bone tissue is reproduced.
• Prosthetics (crowns). Indicated when most of the dental unit is missing.

conclusions

• Restoration is possible if the upper, lower, front or side teeth have broken off;
• For restoration, methods of mineralization, plugging with a composite, extension, prosthetics with a crown on a pin, or a stump inlay are used;
• if the root is preserved, the tooth can be restored, even if the coronal part is fractured at the base;
• a root fracture can be treated if the pulp is not damaged;
• in cases where the tooth cannot be saved, it is removed, followed by implantation or installation of a bridge;
• The implant performs all the functions of a natural tooth and prevents bone tissue atrophy;
• the extended tooth is no different from others and looks natural.

Expert of the article Bolshakova Evgenia Vladimirovna Dentist-hygienist

More than 11 years of experience

Restorative methods in dentistry

The method of restoration depends simultaneously on several factors: the degree of damage, the results of diagnostic studies, general health, medical history and financial capabilities of the patient. The therapeutic regimen is developed on an individual basis. What to do if a front tooth is chipped and why the back teeth are chipped should only be determined by a doctor; self-diagnosis is ineffective.

Remineralization

Remineralization therapy is the simplest recovery option for minor chips. The technique is used for microcracks and other small defects, as well as for preventive purposes to prevent such problems. A special solution with nutrients is applied to the surface, and as a result, the protective properties of the enamel are restored.

Fluoridation

Damaged and healthy teeth are covered with medicinal solutions, gels or varnishes with a large amount of fluoride. Treatment is carried out in stages. This is one of the effective ways to completely restore a chipped front tooth. This method is only beneficial for minor injuries.

Building up

Indicated for moderate injuries. A paste-like mass is applied to the surface in layers, each layer is fixed. The doctor must carefully select materials of the desired shade and texture so that the restored areas remain invisible and do not stand out from the rest.

This method is highly effective and attractively priced. The first thought that arises in most patients when asked what to do if a back tooth is chipped (chipped front teeth are rarely eliminated in this way) is to build up the missing fragment. The technique is in great demand.

Filling and microprosthetics

They are indicated for extensive damage to bone tissue and internal sensitive layers. The doctor carefully examines the results of diagnostic studies (including panoramic and spot images), listens to the patient’s complaints and advises which method is best to use. Restoration is possible using conventional fillings, inlays, veneers, and lumineers. What to do if a back tooth breaks off (the reasons do not matter) and is completely lost? In such a situation, prosthetics using implants or installation of artificial crowns is performed.

The amount that the patient sees in the final settlement after the intervention may be unpleasantly surprising. Before you ignore a small crack in the enamel and neglect a visit to the dentist, it is better to think about possible upcoming expenses.

Prevention of chips of enamel and tooth wall

Dental injuries are usually sudden, so it is quite difficult to insure against them. However, preventing chips does not consist only of wearing protective mouthguards. It has already been said that dental health is influenced by many factors, including hygiene and proper nutrition. This is where you should start if you want to keep your teeth strong and healthy. Indirect causes should also be addressed. If you have an overbite or bruxism, start receiving appropriate treatment as soon as possible. Get rid of the bad habit of gnawing on foreign objects, be careful with solid foods, especially seeds and nuts. If you have naturally weak enamel, use products to strengthen it. Remember that you are given one permanent set of teeth for life, so taking care of its preservation is our direct responsibility

Publisher: Expert magazine about dentistry Startsmile.ru

Author of the material: Yaroslav Ikonnikov

Special cases

Some injuries require a specific approach, which has its own characteristics against the backdrop of generally established rules. We should look at them in more detail.

Wisdom tooth

"Eights" cannot be restored. The fact is that this makes no sense, because they are not involved in the process of chewing food and are not so important for the functioning of the maxillofacial apparatus. Doctors resort to extraction; subsequent prosthetics are not performed.

Unit

Such damage is the most aesthetically unattractive, because it is visible to others if a person smiles or simply talks. Treatment methods can be any, it all depends on the dentist’s recommendations and the patient’s personal preferences and financial capabilities.

Most often, artistic restoration is used. The specialist selects the composition of the required shade and applies it to the surface. The layer of material is fixed with a special device with light radiation.

What to do if half a tooth breaks off, how will it be treated (a significant fragment has broken off along with dentin)? In this case, veneers are used. This is a reliable method that is durable. Over time, the color of the enamel does not change and remains attractive.

For the most serious damage, crowns made of ceramics, metal-ceramics, and zirconium oxide are installed. The final cost of therapy depends on the choice.

Lateral teeth

They are treated in the same way as the front ones. However, since others cannot see from the outside that there is anything wrong with your smile, ordinary fillings will do. The best option is extension. Overlays are not installed in this case.

If the nerve is damaged, the wound is first treated with an antiseptic. Then depulpation or extraction is carried out followed by prosthetics.

Dairy elements

What to do with a chipped tooth and how to treat it if it hurts? Many parents mistakenly believe that there is no need to correct problems that arise with children’s first incisors, canines and molars - they will fall out sooner or later anyway. This is a big misconception, because the doctor is able to quickly stop further cracking with a filling or a special gel without pain or other unpleasant sensations.

Children are often injured due to falls during active play. If you ignore the treatment of chips, this often leads to stomatitis and increased sensitivity of the dentition.

Procedure:

• calm the baby;
• give him clean water to rinse his mouth;
• disinfect soft tissues if they are damaged;
• save the fragment for the dentist.

No more than 24 hours should pass from the moment of injury to the visit to the dentist. Most likely, the child will be sent for an X-ray. The condition of the permanent one depends on the health of the primary occlusion.

Vertical crack

What should you do if your front tooth chips a little, but the absence of fragments is not visible, only a crack running from top to bottom is noticeable? At first glance, this problem seems insignificant. However, this opinion is erroneous, because most often the pulp is involved. In this case, the enamel layer cannot be restored.

If at first only a small strip is visible on the surface, over time, under constant pressure, it develops into large chips. Timely consultation with a doctor guarantees quick and easy restoration of the dental unit. Otherwise, you cannot do without installing crowns or veneers.

Baby tooth chipped off

Everyone knows that chipped permanent teeth need to be repaired as soon as possible. However, pediatric dentistry often deals with damage to primary teeth. Children who experience the world by taste are especially often affected: it is enough to pull a stone, a plastic toy into their mouth, or simply fall, and the enamel may not withstand it.

First aid for a child whose tooth has chipped is the same as for an adult:

• Calm down, console.
• Give water to rinse your mouth.
• If necessary, stop the bleeding with peroxide or a sponge.
• Apply cold to reduce swelling.
• If the baby complains of pain, give the usual painkiller.
• Call pediatric dentistry in Krasnoyarsk, explain the situation and make an appointment.

The child will be examined by a doctor and sent for an x-ray to find out whether the soft tissues of the tooth have been damaged. The easiest case is if there is a chip on a tooth that was loose even before the injury. In this case, it is simply removed. But if the tooth holds tightly, treatment is needed. Otherwise, bacteria will penetrate through the crack, and this not only threatens the destruction of the baby tooth, but can also lead to problems with permanent ones.

At Mira Dentistry, we know how to find an approach to children whose baby teeth have broken off, even very young ones. After all, choosing a treatment is not difficult; it is more difficult to get a frightened child to trust the doctor. Correction methods are generally the same as for adults: polishing, remineralization, restoration with a filling.

Complications after chipping

Restoring a chipped front tooth or a chipped molar (what to do in the case of different types of damage is discussed above) should be mandatory. Firstly, the aesthetic component suffers. A smile looks ugly, a person develops complexes, he is always afraid that others will notice the defect. Secondly, if you neglect medical intervention, you cannot avoid negative consequences (sometimes irreversible). These are problems such as:

• malocclusion;
• curvature of roots;
• increased sensitivity to external stimuli (cold, hot, sour, sweet);
• pulpitis, periodontitis and other diseases.

All of these conditions are considered very serious. Most of them often lead to the loss of units and affect the health of neighboring elements.

Oral diseases affect other organs. For example, if a large piece of a back tooth breaks off and the remaining fragment or the entire row hurts, this can later be associated with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, heart and blood vessels, and urinary system. Even microcracks can lead to such complications. Thus, unpleasant consequences can only be avoided with the help of timely intervention by a dentist.

Three artistic restoration options

A partially destroyed front tooth is restored using direct and indirect methods: modeling it using modern composite materials and installing onlays and veneers.

• Minor damage can be repaired with composite fillings .
• In more serious cases, when dentin chips, not only a photocomposite, but also a pin or a special inlay are used to build up the crown. Working in pairs, they will restore functionality to the tooth, and it will not even need to be covered with an artificial crown.
• By installing veneers as an alternative to fillings on the front teeth , dentists do an excellent job with external chips. It is much easier to work with ceramic plates, primarily because of the ability to quickly and easily achieve complete similarity of the imitation with neighboring natural teeth.

Prevention

To prevent chipping of hard tissues, you must adhere to the following rules:

• do not neglect daily cleaning and other hygiene procedures;
• visit the dental clinic every six months for preventive examinations;
• promptly treat caries and other diseases;
• adhere to a proper balanced diet;
• lead a healthy lifestyle, eliminate bad habits;
• if the bite is broken, take measures to correct it;
• minimize the risks of traumatic effects (too hard food is one of the main reasons why a piece of a back tooth breaks off, an incisor or a fang breaks off);
• periodically resort to professional cleaning to remove plaque and stone;
• consult a doctor even if microcracks appear that are not accompanied by unpleasant symptoms.

The dentition is a vulnerable place, especially if you neglect hygiene rules, often chew caramel, smoke, ignore oral diseases and make other mistakes. Chips of the enamel and deeper tissues often lead to serious complications if restoration is not started in time. Before determining what to do if a piece falls off or half of a tooth breaks off, the doctor must determine the extent of the damage and decide whether it is possible to restore the dental unit without resorting to the last resort - extraction.

How necessary is treatment?

Treatment of chips is not always necessary.
If we are talking about minor damage, then it is often enough to carry out an inspection, make sure there are no deeper cracks and, if the chipped tooth enamel has sharp edges, grind it. After this, the patient is advised to monitor his oral health more closely so as not to repeat a similar incident. In some cases, if the damage is of moderate severity, additional filling may be required. For this, standard composite materials are used.

Severe enamel damage

If the chip is deep, the doctor may recommend comprehensive treatment. It involves removing the pulp and filling the canals. After this, the cavity is closed with a filling or crown. This approach eliminates the entry of infection and harmful microorganisms into the tooth cavity, thereby keeping it healthy and functional.

Consequences of injuries

Despite following measures at home, a late visit to the doctor can result in some complications:

• infection of the pulp, development of inflammation, severe pain;
• increased tooth sensitivity;
• root fracture, inflammation of periodontal tissues;
• tooth mobility, high risk of loosening and loss;
• violation of the correct closure of the jaws;
• formation of cysts, granulomas as a result of the inflammatory process.

In order to eliminate dangerous consequences, it is important to take an x-ray. If serious violations are detected, the doctor will prescribe treatment and take measures to prevent consequences.