by Malavi Sivakanesan • 3 January 2025 • 5 min read
Accidents can happen to anyone, even the most careful individuals. But the worst kind of accidents are those that ruin your beautiful smile due to a broken tooth.
The pain and self-consciousness can quickly set in, leaving you wondering, “Can a broken tooth be fixed?” Well, the good news is—YES, it absolutely can be! From minor chips to severe fractures, there are multiple treatment options available to restore both the function and appearance of your tooth.
So, if you’ve just broken your tooth, don’t panic. Read on to learn all the ways you can fix it and reclaim your smile.
Understanding A Broken Tooth
A broken tooth happens when a part of the tooth gets cracked, chipped, or fractured due to an accident, biting into something hard, or even from decay that weakens the tooth. It can be as minor as a small chip on the surface or as serious as a deep crack that affects the inside layers of the tooth. Common signs include pain while chewing, sensitivity to hot or cold, swelling, or even visible damage to the tooth.
Dealing with a broken tooth can feel overwhelming, but it’s important to know it’s treatable. If you’re wondering what will a dentist do for a broken tooth, small chips can often be smoothed out or repaired with bonding, while more serious fractures may require fillings, crowns, or root canal treatment.
Immediate Relief Options
If you are having pain in your teeth and you are wondering what to do with a broken tooth until dentist visits, then some rapid relief options can come to your rescue. Here’s how to handle and manage dental emergencies like broken teeth:
Rinse with warm water
If you’ve chipped or broken a tooth, rinsing your mouth with warm salt water can help soothe the area and keep it clean. Just mix half a teaspoon of salt into a glass of warm water, swish it gently in your mouth for about 30 seconds, and then spit it out. Doing this 3-4 times a day can help reduce the risk of infection and promote healing.
Application of cold Pack
You can even apply a cold pack, which is easily available in the market to the area that is affected. If you do not have a cold pack at home, you can use ice wrapped with cloth and place it near the exact location of pain. However, you should not directly keep ice in your mouth as the broken tooth areas are sensitive, and direct exposure to ice can get even worse.
Application of clove oil
If your broken tooth hurts, then you can even apply clove oil to the affected area. You can take a piece of cotton and dip it into the clove oil and put that close to the broken tooth. Clove oil has numbing and anti-inflammatory properties, which can help soothe the affected areas.
Long-Term Treatment Options
After following the rapid measures, you should consult a dentist for repairing a broken tooth. Read on to get an idea of long-term treatments and various options for broken tooth that can fix your tooth permanently:
Dental bonding
Dental Composite bonding is a procedure where a tooth-colored resin is applied to the damaged part. It is applied in such a way that it matches the natural shape of your tooth, and then this is hardened using a curing light.
It improves the appearance of your tooth by giving it a natural look and will prevent your tooth from any further damage. If you follow good oral hygiene, then a dental bonded tooth can even last for 5 to 10 years. However, if you have habits like smoking, then the material will degrade early.
Dental Veneers
If you require minor orthodontic corrections and want to achieve a uniform and polished smile, then you should go for dental veneer teeth London. Veneers are ultra-thin custom covers made from materials like porcelain or composite resin. These covers are mostly used to fix broken front teeth, hide all the visible cracks and stains, and make the front part smoother and even.
If proper oral hygiene is maintained and you go for regular dental check-ups, then it can last for 10 to 15 years. However, if you grind your teeth a lot, then replacements can be required early.
Dental Crowns (Caps)
If you have large cracks and tooth damage that can not be fixed by just bonding or your tooth has decayed completely, then you should go for dental crown treatment. A crown is a kind of cap that is used to cover your damaged tooth. It fully encases the tooth to get back the complete size, shape, and strength of your tooth.
It helps you to chew food properly and protects you from further damage. It is more effective for broken molar tooth and can last for 10-15 years with proper maintenance.
Root canal therapy
If the damage to your tooth has reached the tooth pulp, causing pain and infection, but the teeth can be restored structurally, then you should go for root canal treatment. It removes the infected pulp from the inside of the tooth. The cleaned area is filled and sealed, and sometimes, a crown is placed to add protection.
A root canal treatment protected by a crown can last for a lifetime with proper care. It completely eliminates the pain and infection. The best part is that it prevents the need to get your tooth extracted.
When To See A Dentist?
So now you know how to stop a toothache from a broken tooth. And while home remedies can provide temporary relief, it’s essential to consult a dentist if the pain persists, swelling develops, or you notice signs of infection like pus or fever. Ignoring these symptoms could lead to more serious complications, so don’t delay seeking professional help.
If you are looking for professional advice from a dental clinic with extensive experience and a solid reputation for tooth replacement, contact Complete Smiles. They offer a comprehensive range of tooth replacement solutions tailored to your needs, including bridges, implants, dentures, and advanced All-on-4 treatments.
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.