by Malavi Sivakanesan • 28 January 2025 • 5 min read
A broken tooth is when a tooth cracks or fractures. It can be due to injury, decay, or even due to biting down on something hard. And it is not just an aesthetic issue but can also lead to sensitivity, pain, and even infections if left untreated. Fortunately, modern dentistry offers several broken tooth treatment options to restore both function and appearance. However, the right solution depends on the severity of the damage. So, read on to determine which treatment best suits your situation.
Solution 1: Dental Composite Bonding
Dental composite bonding is a tooth restoration procedure. In this process, a tooth-coloured resin is applied to the broken front tooth, shaped, and hardened with a blue light. It is then polished in an attempt to match the original structure of the tooth.
Dental composite bonding is best suited if your tooth broke in half with small cracks and chips. It can also be used as a temporary solution for some permanent procedures like veneers or crowns for rotten broken molar.
Solution 2: Dental Crown
Dental crowns are custom-made caps that are placed over damaged or broken teeth. They're generally made from materials like ceramic, porcelain, metal, and sometimes a combination of them all.
A dental crown is certainly best suited for broken front tooth treatment where bonding won't work. It is commonly used after root canal treatments to protect and strengthen the broken molar tooth and as a cap over dental implants to restore the broken wisdom tooth.
Solution 3: Dental Inlays and Onlays
Dental inlays and onlays are custom-made restorations that are used to treat teeth that have undergone trauma, decay, etc. Dental inlays treat smaller damages, while onlays are typically done to cover larger damage done on cusps of teeth.
Dental inlays and onlays are best suited for cases where a tooth is broken at the gum line and is damaged beyond what a regular filling can repair but doesn’t require a full crown. Moreover, they help preserve more of the natural tooth structure compared to crowns. This makes them a great option for long-term dental health.
Solution 4: Root Canal
A root canal is a dental procedure which is done only when the infection or damage is too severe. It treats the damage that has been inflicted deep inside the pulp of the tooth.
In the root canal, the pulp is cleaned, disinfected, and then sealed to prevent further infection. This treatment helps save the natural tooth, relieving pain and restoring function without the need for extracting a broken tooth.
How to Prevent Future Tooth Damage?
While these treatments are sure to give your teeth a better time, they cannot completely protect them if you do not take better care of your teeth. So, remember to brush your teeth daily, avoid food and drink that could be bad for your oral health, and have frequent visits to the dentist to avoid broken tooth removal due to infection.
If your tooth has split in half or the back of your tooth has broken and you want to repair it, book a consultation with Complete Smiles today. They offer comprehensive oral health treatments to restore and enhance your smile. With over 20,000 happy patients, you can trust their experienced team to help you find the right solution.
Malavi Sivakanesan
Malavi Sivakanesan is the principal dentist and co-founder at Complete Smiles in Harrow, Greater London. She is responsible for establishing the Complete Smiles brand throughout the United Kingdom and Europe and has 5 successful practices under her strong leadership.