What happens if you leave a broken tooth?
It may not seem like a crack or break in your tooth isn’t a big deal, especially if the damage isn’t causing you pain. The reality is, though, that cracked teeth can lead to problems down the line and should be addressed by a dentist. If your tooth cracks or breaks suddenly and painfully, see an emergency dentist or other emergency medical professional as soon as you can. If your tooth cracks or breaks less severely, schedule an appointment to meet with your dentist as soon as you can. While your pain or discomfort might be manageable with at-home treatments, only a dentist can comprehensively address the problems caused by a broken or cracked tooth and prevent bigger dental and even medical problems from arising over time.
Although the teeth are very strong and hard, they are designed to be used to chew, bite, and tear food. When people use their teeth to open bottles or packages or otherwise pretend their teeth are tools, it’s not uncommon for the teeth to crack, chip, or break. The constant friction caused by bruxism, which is a condition of habitual clenching or grinding of the teeth, can also degrade the teeth, weakening them and leading to dental fractures. Of course, the teeth can break because of trauma or injury, and teeth that have been compromised by tooth decay are more susceptible to breaking even under normal pressure. When a cracked or broken tooth is left untreated, bacteria can enter through the crack and infect the soft tissue inside the tooth. This soft tissue is called pulp, and it is rich with blood vessels and nerve endings, keeping the tooth alive and healthy. When the pulp inside a tooth becomes infected, it can die, and the tooth also dies. Infection in the pulp can also spread into the head and neck, and it could even spread into the bloodstream and cause life-threatening medical situations. While it may not seem like it at first, a seemingly simple crack in a tooth should be addressed by a dentist before it’s allowed to get worse.
Even when infection does enter the dental pulp, when addressed promptly, the tooth may be able to be saved with a root canal. If the infection is too significant, the tooth may need to be extracted. If you experience pain that comes and goes and that intensifies when exposed to extreme temperature or the pressure of biting down, call your dentist and make an appointment. These symptoms are often the first symptoms of a cracked tooth, and cracked teeth can often be repaired relatively easily, preventing infection and restoring the tooth, but early intervention is key. Your dentist will x-ray your mouth and teeth to determine the degree of damage to the tooth. If the inside of the tooth has been affected, a root canal will be recommended. Once any infection has been eliminated and the tooth is sealed to prevent further infection, if necessary, the broken tooth will be restored. If the tooth is significantly cracked or broken, the restorative dentist may choose to use a dental crown to cap the tooth and hold it together, protecting it while also providing an aesthetic and functional solution. If the tooth is cracked only in the enamel outer layer, the dentist may use a dental filling to seal the crack with dental composite material, and if the damage is somewhat greater, the dentist may use dental bonding treatments or dental veneers to replace lost enamel and repair a cracked or broken tooth.