Why did a piece of my tooth break off?
Sometimes, when a person’s tooth cracks or breaks, it’s simply due to age. Other times, a tooth can fracture or crack because of trauma or injury, tooth decay, tooth grinding, or due to other causes. In some cases, when a piece of tooth breaks off, the patient won’t even notice, while in other cases, the damage to the tooth could come with swelling and sensitivity or even pain. Dentists can treat a broken tooth in a few different ways, depending on the location and severity of the damage, and your dentist can work with you to determine why a piece of your tooth broke off and how you can work together to repair the damage and prevent future corruption of the teeth. If your tooth noticeably breaks or if you suspect that a tooth has fractured and is compromised, see your dentist promptly.
When a crack or fracture appears in a tooth, dental professionals refer to this occurrence as cracked tooth syndrome. Dental fractures are more common in older people and in children, but anyone could crack a tooth at any age. Some dental cracks are small and may not require treatment, while other fractures are more severe and could split the tooth apart and lead to a piece of the tooth breaking off. If a piece of your tooth breaks off, prompt dental care could prevent more significant issues from arising and could preserve the health and integrity of the tooth. The crown of a tooth is the part that can be seen above the gums, and the root of a tooth is secured below the gums, in the jawbone. The crown and the root are both made up of layers of different types of dental tissue: the outer layer, or enamel, is the hard white surface of the tooth that encases and protects the inner layers; the middle layer, the dentin, is the calcified substance that forms the structure of the teeth and protects the inner layer. This inner layer contains vital soft tissue rich with blood vessels and nerves and is called the pulp. A dental fracture could affect any or all of these layers, and fracture in different layers or locations of the teeth will have different symptoms, if they present any symptoms at all.
Age is the most common factor for cracked tooth syndrome, with the majority of dental fractures appearing after the age of 50. Dental breakage is also frequently caused by biting down on hard foods or items like ice or popcorn kernels or due to habits like chewing ice, gum, or non-food items like pens. Using the teeth as tools can also cause them to break, and it’s important to remember that they’re not to be used to tear open packages or untie knots if you’d like to keep them whole. Root canals and significant dental fillings can weaken a tooth and cause it to fracture, and a piece of tooth may break off and fall into the mouth. Bruxism, a condition in which patients habitually grind or clench their teeth, often in their sleep, can cause the teeth to break, and dentists may recommend that patients with bruxism sleep with a mouth guard or practice stress-reduction therapies. Of course, trauma can also cause a piece of someone’s tooth to break off, and trauma can occur during sports activities, falls, vehicle accidents, violence, and with other types of impact to the face. Trauma could fracture or damage multiple teeth, and people with tooth decay caused by dental cavities face a higher risk of cracked tooth syndrome, even in cases of relatively minimal trauma.
Make sure to have a broken tooth treated to avoid an extraction.