Half my tooth broke off
Teeth can crack for all sorts of reasons, so if half your tooth broke off, there’s probably a clear reason. Sometimes, as people age, their teeth grow thinner and weaker because of aging and regular wear and tear. This can make older people more prone to dental breakage, though anyone at any age could break a tooth. Teeth can break due to injury, like impacts to the face during contact sports, falls, and accidents, and they can also break when people bite down on hard, crunchy foods or ice. Teeth can also break because of chronic clenching or grinding of the teeth, which gradually weakens the teeth, wearing them down and making them more prone to fracture. Sometimes, the wear on a tooth’s enamel can be significant enough that the tooth cracks with no immediately apparent outside forces. If you’ve cracked a tooth, contact your dentist. If it’s a dental emergency, call an emergency dentist or visit the emergency room; for more minor chips and fractures, it’s okay to schedule an appointment with your dentist and make do in the meantime. In many cases, cracked teeth can be repaired, and the sooner they’re treated, the greater the likelihood of saving and preserving the tooth.
Most of the time, when a tooth cracks, it’s noticeable. If you’re noticing sudden pain or discomfort when eating hot or cold food, you might have a cracked tooth. If you notice intermittent pain or sensitivity while chewing, this could also be a sign of a fractured or broken tooth. Of course, sometimes, the effects are noticeable, and it’s clear that a piece of tooth has broken off. If your tooth breaks, call your dentist and set up an appointment, and make sure to let them know that your tooth has broken, especially if a part of your tooth has broken clean off. Even if it doesn’t seem that painful, addressing a broken tooth isn’t something you should delay. If left untreated, a broken tooth can become infected, and if the pulp inside a tooth is infected, infection can easily spread into the gums and bone that surround and support the tooth. While you wait to see your dentist, make sure to keep the area clean, gently cleaning the affected tooth during your regular oral hygiene routine and rinsing the mouth with warm salt water to reduce the likelihood of infection. Over-the-counter pain medication and topically applied ice can also help with pain and discomfort.
When the damage is severe, emergency medical treatment may be necessary. If the damage to your tooth is less significant, it’s still important to see your dentist promptly, which could mean the difference between saving the tooth and losing the tooth. Your dentist can assess the damage and determine the optimal treatment for saving and restoring the tooth. If a small piece of enamel or part of a filling has chipped off, the dentist may be able to repair the tooth with a new filling or a cosmetic bonding treatment. If a small piece of the tooth has broken off, it may be able to be fixed with a dental crown or composite filling. If the fracture is significant, the tooth may need to be extracted, and if the fracture extends into the pulp and the pulp has been compromised, you may need a dental extraction or root canal. In all cases, early evaluation and treatment is key and will increase the chances of preventing infection and keeping the tooth.