Healthy and active children always have a high risk of broken or fractured teeth. Dental injuries in children can happen due to falls, trauma, sporting injuries, and other factors. However, the severity of dental fractures can range from mild enamel cracks to deeper fractures. Depending on the nature of the fracture, the restoration technique might include fillings, dental crowns, root canals, or other treatments.
Broken Teeth
Nova Children’s Dentistry is a state-of-the-art pediatric dental clinic with cutting-edge technologies and a friendly dental care team. We use the latest diagnostic tools to identify the precise extent of the fracture and then recommend the appropriate treatments for the optimal restoration of dental health. Please schedule an appointment at our dental offices in Ashburn and South Riding, VA, to discuss your child’s treatment options.
What should I do immediately after the dental fracture?
- Rinse the child’s mouth with warm water to clean the area.
- Save all the fractured pieces of the tooth available.
- Place the tooth fragments in an airtight container with saliva, mild, or salt water.
- Floss the teeth to remove any broken fragments stuck in the mouth.
- Ask your child to bite down on a piece of antiseptic gauze to control the bleeding.
- Place a cold compress on the child’s cheeks to reduce swelling.
- Give your child an age-appropriate painkiller.
- Contact the pediatric dentist immediately.
What does the treatment for a broken baby tooth involve?
If a baby tooth is damaged, the dentist’s primary goal is to protect the underlying permanent tooth. The baby tooth can’t be removed altogether because it holds your jawbone in alignment. But the priority is the emerging permanent tooth.
The following are possible treatments for broken baby teeth:
- Chipped Edges: Baby teeth can often get chipped around the edges from regular bite force and use. The dentist can smoothen the rough edges, but they can also be left alone.
- Larger Fractures: If the baby tooth has larger cracks or fractures, the dentist might replace the damaged parts of the tooth with fillings. Composite resin and other tooth-colored fillings restore the tooth’s integrity and appearance. If the crack is even larger, a crown can be placed.
What does the treatment for a broken permanent tooth involve?
If a permanent tooth is damaged, the dentist’s primary goal is to save the tooth and preserve as much of its structure as possible. That’s because you don’t get any other teeth after the permanent teeth.
Depending on the severity of the fracture, the following are your treatment options for broken permanent teeth.
- Class 1: If the external enamel has a mild fracture, the dentist can smoothen it with dental bonding.
- Class 2: If the fracture extends into the dentin (the second layer), the dentist may use a tooth-colored filling to replace the damaged parts. If the crack is too large for fillings, the dentist may provide a crown.
- Class 3: If the fracture goes deep into the pulp chamber, the dentist may need to perform a root canal to prevent bacterial infection and then provide a crown to strengthen the tooth.
- Class 4: If the fracture extends all the way to the tooth’s root, the dentist may have to remove the tooth completely.
