Breaking a tooth is an unpleasant experience that often results in severe discomfort and long-term dental problems if left untreated. A broken tooth should be regarded as a dental emergency. Depending on the depth of the break, it can allow harmful bacteria to infiltrate the gums and pulp chamber, causing an infection. In some cases, this infection may spread, leading to more severe health issues, such as osteomyelitis, an infection of the bone supporting your tooth.
If you break your tooth, contact the team at No Gaps Dental immediately. We offer same-day emergency appointments, ensuring you receive the necessary care as quickly as possible. We understand that dental emergencies are uncomfortable, stressful, and often come at the worst time, so we make quality patient care our priority.
Most people don’t think about how to fix a broken tooth until it happens to them. While minor chips can often be easily restored with dental bonding, a broken tooth typically requires restorative procedures, such as dental crowns, implants, or root canal therapy. At No Gaps Dental, we provide all these services, giving you plenty of options for how to fix your broken tooth.
How to Fix a Broken Tooth: Effective Treatments?
Some of our most effective treatments for fixing a broken tooth include:
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Dental Crowns
One of the best solutions for how to fix a broken tooth is dental crowns. These are essentially hollow caps that look like a natural tooth and fit over your existing tooth structure or a dental implant.
Tooth crowns come in various materials, including ceramic, porcelain, gold alloy, and porcelain-fused-to-metal. At No Gaps Dental, we use quality ceramic tooth crowns, ensuring you don’t lose functionality.
Dental crowns are an excellent solution for a broken tooth because they restore your smile aesthetically while protecting the tooth structure underneath. If your tooth breaks without causing nerve damage, a crown can protect the nerves, reducing sensitivity and restoring chewing functionality. If nerve or structural damage occurs during the break, you may need a root canal before your dentist fits tooth crowns. Your dentist has to reshape the remaining part of your broken tooth to ensure the crown fits properly.
The process for fitting dental crowns typically takes multiple dental visits, spanning over a couple of weeks. It typically involves taking impressions of the broken tooth and gums so permanent tooth crowns can be fabricated at an off-site laboratory. Patients must wear temporary dental crowns until these are ready. However, at some No Gaps Dental locations, we offer a quicker alternative.
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No Gaps Dental Same-Day Dental Crowns
Some of our locations provide an industry-leading, same-day dental crown procedure known as Chair-side Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramic (CEREC). CEREC tooth crowns are fabricated from hypoallergenic ceramic. This means they are resistant to corrosion and don’t affect those with metal allergies.
We use advanced scanning technology, dental software, and equipment to capture 3D images of your mouth and teeth, ensuring your tooth crowns are a perfect fit. Our state-of-the-art milling machinery creates high-quality tooth crowns on-site in just 15 minutes, eliminating the need to wait weeks for your custom crowns.
CEREC crowns are built to last and can be maintained for up to 15 years or more. Talk to your dentist about the option of same-day dental crowns.
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Dental Implants
If your tooth is broken beyond repair, you may require a dental implant. This involves removing your broken tooth before implanting a titanium screw-like rod into your jawbone to act as a tooth root. Titanium contains properties that allow it to bond with human bone tissue.
Once the titanium rod is fitted, you will wait anywhere from four to six months for the site to heal before having an abutment and dental crown placed.
If you’re considering a dental implant, book a consultation at No Gaps Dental. One of our dentists will assess your oral health, teeth, and jawbone to ensure they can support an implant. If the incident that led to your broken tooth caused more trauma, your jaw or gums may not be healthy or strong enough, increasing the risk of implant failure. More healing time or dental procedures may be necessary before you are ready for dental implant surgery.
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Dental Bonding
Dental bonding is a cost-effective and non-invasive solution for minor chips in teeth. This procedure involves applying tooth-coloured composite resin to the damaged area before moulding it into the desired shape.
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Root Canal Therapy
When teeth are broken, their centre is sometimes exposed, allowing bacteria to contaminate the nerves and blood vessels.
Before any aesthetic procedures are carried out, root canal therapy is necessary to clean the area and protect the nerves and pulp tissue.
This process involves extracting dead pulp, cleaning out the root canal, then sealing the cavity to prevent future infections.
Tips for Avoiding a Broken Tooth
Taking preventative action can mean avoiding the question of how to fix a broken tooth. Here are some tips to prevent an unnecessary break:
- Maintain good oral hygiene habits
- Book regular dental checkups
- Wear a mouthguard when playing sports
- Avoid biting into extremely hard or tough foods
- Don’t open bottles or packets with your teeth
- Take precautions when handling heavy tools or machinery
- Limit sugary and acidic foods and drinks that contribute to tooth decay
Repair Your Broken Tooth at No Gaps Dental
At No Gaps Dental, we offer various restorative dental services to repair broken teeth. Our same-day CEREC dental crowns procedure is a fast and convenient way to fix your teeth and restore your smile. Alternatively, we offer dental implant surgery on-site if the tooth is damaged beyond repair.
Don’t wait to seek treatment for a broken tooth. Contact No Gaps Dental immediately for emergency care. For more information on our services or to book an appointment, give us a call on (02) 8806 0227 or fill out our online booking form today.