Anyone can chip off a piece of their tooth, regardless of whether you take care of your teeth or not. Most often, this is preceded by a mechanical impact on the tooth, less often - gradual destruction of the integrity of the tooth, cracks in the enamel or the development of caries. The most common case is a blow, fall or other injury. Sometimes a tooth can chip when chewing, both in the front and back teeth. Moreover, you don’t have to chew nuts. Quite often, a tooth can break off when trying to bite off a piece of dry salted fish or meat.
It's clear. The way to avoid such a case is to be careful! In the article we will consider points that can increase the likelihood of an unpleasant incident.
Why do chips appear on teeth?
Enamel is a durable transparent fabric. It reliably protects the tooth from destruction. However, there are a number of reasons why it may still break:
- eating too hard food
- mechanical injury (fall, blow)
- damage (cracks) in the enamel
- malocclusion
- untreated caries or incorrectly installed filling
- hypertonicity of the masticatory muscles
- partial absence of teeth, due to which the remaining ones are heavily overloaded
If a piece of a tooth breaks off, you need to seek help from a dentist, because over time, even a small chip can grow larger. The doctor will restore the beauty of your smile and comfortable eating, relieve psychological discomfort and increased sensitivity of teeth.
Occurrence of a vertical crack
Sometimes a chip does not appear, but the tooth cracks vertically - this is very noticeable from the outside. The choice of treatment method will be based on how severely the enamel is damaged and how deep the crack goes.
There are three main treatment options:
- Standard filling.
- Installation of external onlays on the tooth.
- Removal and subsequent implantation.
It is important to resolve the problem quickly before numerous potential complications arise.
Types of dental damage
- Chip on the enamel.
Such an injury does not cause discomfort or unpleasant sensations, but can ruin the smile when it comes to the front tooth. - Chip within dentin.
This is damage to the layer that is located under the enamel. If such a chip is present, a short-term reaction to hot and cold, as well as sweet and sour, appears. If you do not immediately consult a dentist, dentin will further deteriorate, which can lead to complications in the form of pulpitis or periodontitis. - Chip to pulp.
If a large piece of a tooth breaks off, the pulp is damaged. This injury is accompanied by severe throbbing pain. Urgent dental care is needed, otherwise you may be left without a tooth. - The root of the tooth broke.
This type of fracture is a serious injury. But even in this case, the tooth can be saved from removal if you promptly seek help from a doctor. The sooner you do this, the more likely it is that the tooth will be saved.
There are different types of tooth damage, but regardless of the size of the chip, you need to seek help from a dentist. He will offer the right solution to restore the shape of the tooth, based on the situation.
Precautionary measures
Tips for avoiding chipped teeth follow general oral health tips:
- Visit your dentist regularly for dental examinations and professional teeth cleanings;
- taking vitamin and mineral complexes;
- brush your teeth morning and evening;
- limit the consumption of sweets, carbonated water, juices;
- do not smoke and limit alcohol consumption;
- treat teeth in the early stages of disease development;
- Treat diseases of organs and systems in a timely manner.
It is important to understand that an untreated tooth can lead to complications - from simple to very serious. Most often we are talking about caries, pulpitis, periodontitis. Doctors will confirm to you that a chipped tooth and infection can cause the development of chronic diseases of the heart, kidneys, stomach, liver, and nervous system.
INNOVASTOM offers an integrated approach to the treatment and prevention of dental and gum diseases in Smolensk. We are confident that we will help you maintain the health of your teeth!
Damage to baby teeth
Has your child chipped a tooth? It’s not surprising, because children are very active, they often fall or hit themselves. As a result, the baby tooth may be damaged. Despite the fact that it is temporary, it also needs to be restored, because the health of the permanent teeth, as well as the correct formation of the bite, depends on the condition of the baby teeth.
What to do if a tooth chips? Disinfect your child's mouth and go to the pediatric dentist. He will apply a special gel and prescribe treatment. Typically, a baby tooth is restored with a filling.
How to prevent chipping
There are several tips that dentists give to patients in order to keep their teeth intact for as long as possible. These include:
- Maintain good oral hygiene. Use high-quality pastes, rinses, special gels as recommended by your doctor. The enamel needs to be strengthened.
- Visit your dentist regularly. It is necessary to carry out proper dental treatment, to ensure that the enamel does not crack or wear off.
- Monitor the condition of the gastrointestinal tract and other body systems. Particular attention should be paid to the functioning of the endocrine and immune systems. Changes in the balance of acidity in the oral cavity should not be allowed.
- Form your diet correctly. It should include foods that stimulate strong bones and teeth.
- Correct your bite. Due to improper bite, chips appear quite often, and the enamel itself is worn away ahead of time. It is cheaper to get braces than to periodically spend money on veneers, implantation, remineralization and other dental procedures.
- Cure bruxism. This may require you to wear special mouthguards.
Equally important is the advice to monitor what and how you eat. Try not to chew on anything too hard—candy, nuts, and more. If you chew carefully and watch what you eat, the likelihood of chipping will be much less.
What to do if a piece of a tooth breaks off
If a piece of your tooth breaks off, contact your dentist. It will help prevent further destruction and restore the tooth using modern materials.
Depending on the extent of the damage, a specialist may suggest:
- Filling.
For small chips, light-curing composite materials can be used to restore both front and chewing teeth. - Veneers.
These are thin ceramic overlays for creating the ideal smile zone. They reliably mask tooth chips and protect the enamel from damage. - Tabs.
If the chewing tooth is damaged by more than half, the orthopedic dentist recreates its shape using a ceramic inlay. It is securely fixed and lasts longer than a composite filling. - Crowns.
If a large piece of a tooth breaks off or breaks down to the level of the gum, ceramic crowns are already used for restoration. - Implants.
If the root of a tooth is broken and it is no longer possible to save it, the dentition is restored using implants onto which crowns are fixed.
The dentist will restore the shape and function of a broken tooth, even if its visible part is completely destroyed or the root of the tooth is broken.
What Causes Injury?
The main reason why tooth crown damage occurs is weakened enamel.
In such cases, microcracks and chips often form, which subsequently lead to a crown fracture. But even strong teeth can be injured under strong mechanical stress, however, this usually happens simultaneously. The reason for the weakening of the enamel can be:
- poor quality dental treatment;
- deficiency of calcium, phosphorus and fluorine;
- violation of nutrition rules;
- constant exposure to food acids;
- disruption of the pancreas with uneven release of acidity;
- the effect of different temperatures when eating food (hot-cold);
- jaw injuries.
With weakened teeth, a crack can also occur as a result of the habit of chewing hard objects or foods, nails, packaging, etc.
Dentists warn that those at greatest risk are patients who have had prior dental treatment with pulp removal or a filling placed on a large, diseased crown cavity.
Why does a broken tooth need to be restored?
Doesn't it bother you that a piece of your tooth has broken off and you're not going to see a dentist? Be aware that a chip can cause a number of related problems. The most common of them:
- increased tooth sensitivity (reaction to cold and hot)
- infection of the pulp (nerve endings)
- further tooth decay
A timely visit to the dentist will save you from these and other problems that may arise due to a chipped tooth. A good doctor always knows what to do if a tooth is broken and will select the right method for its restoration, taking into account the specifics of the case. The restored tooth will regain its natural shape and perform its functions.
Means for strengthening enamel at home
You can strengthen the enamel layer at home using products that contain fluoride. These can be either regular strengthening toothpastes or special products, for example, fluoride-containing enamel varnishes. The frequency and characteristics of the use of certain drugs depend on their composition and properties.
Important! It must be remembered that fluoride in large quantities can have a negative effect on the body. Therefore, you should use products containing this substance only in accordance with your doctor’s recommendations.
Classification of chips
| Types of chips | Description |
| Chip of tooth enamel | The easiest type of chipping, in which only the enamel structure is damaged. These could be cracks or a small chip in the tooth. There is no pain, but lack of treatment can worsen the situation. In addition, even a small chip on a tooth has a negative impact on aesthetics. |
| Dentin chip | As a result of mechanical stress, the dentin layer is damaged. The most common types of such injuries are chipped tooth walls on molars and chipped front teeth. In addition, untreated chips and cracks in the enamel can subsequently worsen and reach the pulp. |
| Severe chipped tooth | These are serious cracks and fractures that significantly damage the crown part of the tooth. Sometimes a tooth splits, when it seems to split into two parts, which severely injures the pulp and dentin. Such chips require long and complex treatment. |
My wisdom tooth hurts and has fallen out
Initially, the so-called eights are considered an atavism, since they do not take part in chewing food. However, ancestors said that the presence of 32 teeth in a person is a good sign. And they considered the wisdom tooth a talisman of good luck and a kind of amulet. Its removal was associated with the loss of divine support.
Today, dentists do not treat figure eights, preferring to remove them immediately. How justified this is, based on the experience of previous generations, can be found out by signs:
- The eruption of wisdom teeth promises changes in life. Moreover, the more painful the process is, the more pleasant the changes will be;
- If a woman is expecting a child and she is cutting eight, then this is a sure sign of the birth of a talented baby. And, if the process takes place before the wedding, then the bride is mercantile and prudent;
- If your wisdom tooth hurts, this is a very bad sign. A person refuses protection and gifts of fate. If medical indications require removal, you need to ask the surgeon to give up the tooth to keep it at home as a talisman;
In ancient times, a mother would place such a talisman under her daughter’s pillow when her “first blood” began. It was believed that in this way the girl would be prudent and careful in her relationships with the opposite sex. The father and son did the same when he picked up a razor for the first time.
- At a time when the average life expectancy was no more than 35 years, the presence of 4 wisdom teeth automatically elevated a person to the rank of oldest and smartest. Therefore, if the eight began to hurt, then it was not pulled out, but “spoken”;
- If a person, despite his “advanced age,” does not have wisdom teeth, this means that he has to pay for the sins of his ancestors and is deprived of the protection of spirits;
- Rarely, but it happened that the 5th molar was exposed. This sign is twofold, because at different times it was believed that its owner was either a chosen savior or associated with dark forces;
- According to Gypsy customs, the removed wisdom tooth had to be buried at the grave of its namesake. This helped to achieve prosperity and wealth.
Restoration method – bridge prosthesis
Dental bridges got their name for their visual resemblance to a bridge - they are a structure of two crowns, between which artificial teeth are located.
Crowns are placed on your own ground teeth. The advantages of bridges are good aesthetics and reliable fixation. Dental bridges are permanent, making them very comfortable. This type of dental prosthetics requires several visits to the doctor. First, impressions are made, from which a temporary prosthesis is made in a denture laboratory or clinic - the patient will not experience discomfort when communicating due to the absence of a front tooth. At the same time, the dental clinic prepares the supporting teeth. They are ground to install a crown to a shape that is optimally suitable for this, and most often (but not always) they are depulped. After the grinding is completed, impressions are taken again, from which dentists make a permanent prosthesis, and after that it is installed on the supporting teeth and fixed with cement.
The main disadvantage of a bridge is the need for depulpation and grinding of healthy supporting teeth. In addition, its installation, which leads to an uneven load on the alveolar bone and its thinning in the area of the missing tooth..
How much does it cost to grow a tooth?
The cost of restoring tooth enamel using the augmentation method depends on the amount of damage and the materials that will be used during the procedure. In addition, the location of the teeth is of great importance. If this is one of the front teeth, then its restoration will be more expensive, since the final result of the extension requires extreme precision and compliance with the original shape. For lateral teeth, the final price may be reduced.
The cost of tooth extension starts from 4 thousand rubles. The price is also influenced by the professionalism of the specialist and the level of the clinic in which the procedure is performed.
Folk signs about teeth
Many signs about teeth have survived to this day. They are still relevant today.
- If a rotten or decaying tooth falls out, then the person will face the end of relations with his comrades. It will become clear that friends no longer have common topics of conversation, and their conversations are just common politeness.
- Painless tooth loss is a harbinger of unhappy love. Constant quarrels with your other half will lead to a deterioration in the relationship. The couple will not be able to stop conflicts, as the partners will have too many claims against each other. A person will not be able to maintain a relationship, despite desire and responsible actions.
- If the tooth hurt before it fell out, the person will have to undergo tests. He will not be able to deal with difficulties in time, which is why he will lose many opportunities. To once again get a chance for development and self-realization, you will have to work hard. You can understand why a rotten tooth fell out by looking at the place where this event occurred.
- If a tooth falls out at home, then the person will have to resolve conflicts with others. In a short period of time, you will be able to make peace with several people. This will affect not only the person’s relationships with friends, but also his own feelings. He will become more self-confident and will be able to decide on unexpected and risky actions.
- Rotten teeth falling out from the dentist indicate a meeting with a rival. A person will have to make every effort to win. In the future, it will be necessary to confirm the primacy, again leaving the enemy behind. However, each time the clashes will be more violent than before.
- A tooth that falls out in a public place - signs indicate a bad sign, betrayal of your significant other. A person will repeatedly receive news about his partner’s infidelity, however, he will not believe it. Only after a while, when the life partner himself reveals his infidelity, does a person admit that those around him are right.
- If a tooth falls out at a metro station or bus stop, you should expect good news from relatives. The message will bring family members closer together, thanks to which they will have reliable support in moments of difficulty. However, over time, conflicts will separate relatives, which will cause the connection to weaken again.
- Falling out at a train station or airport is a harbinger of promotion. Career growth will be determined by hard work or good relations with superiors. The reason for professional success will be the favor of superiors and the person’s prospects in comparison with the rest of the team.
Chipped tooth in children
For a child, a piece breaking off from a tooth portends a quarrel with a friend. Despite their young age, such conflicts can be very long-term and serious. Parents will have to intervene and help resolve the conflict without far-reaching consequences. It is better to switch the child’s attention to the appearance of the tooth fairy, who has prepared sweets for him.
There used to be a popular superstition about how a child behaves during a split. This was how they determined how he would grow up in the future. The more the baby cried and screamed, the more demanding and capricious he became. The one who endured this trouble silently and steadfastly became a strong personality, a real master of his own destiny.
Is it possible to save a cracked tooth?
It all depends on the scale of the damage: the depth and length of the crack, its location. Solving the problem on your own with the help of folk remedies and toothpaste will not give an effect, and delaying professional treatment will only worsen the situation.
Important! Cracked teeth do not heal.
To assess the possibility of restoring a cracked tooth and choose the optimal treatment method, each specific case should be considered separately.
Only the tooth enamel is cracked
Enamel cracks are minimal damage to the integrity of the tooth, almost invisible to the naked eye. The dentist will carefully polish the crown, gradually removing microscopic layers, and remineralize it with fluoride-containing gel. However, treatment should not be delayed. Consequences of cracks in tooth enamel: caries, increased damage in depth and, as a result, inflammation of the nerve.
Important! Before treating a cracked tooth, Matisse Dent dentists perform an antiseptic treatment of the oral cavity. The procedure destroys pathogenic bacteria. The success of treatment and the service life of the restored tooth depend on this.
