Is a broken tooth an emergency?

It doesn't matter whether the whole tooth or just a piece of the tooth has broken off - quick and correct action is required in the event of a tooth accident.

Broken tooth - what now?

It happens faster than you think. You fall, bite on something hard, or bump into someone unexpectedly and a piece of the tooth breaks off. It is best to remain calm and act prudently, because the broken piece can often be reattached, regardless of whether the molar or the incisor is broken. If it is no longer possible to reattach broken parts of your tooth, your dentist will have numerous methods of repairing the damage, for example with a tooth filling.

After the tooth has broken off, you should provide first aid as soon as possible and contact your dentist or an emergency dental service immediately, especially when there is pain in the tooth. If a tooth has broken off and you don’t have any pain, you should still seek the intervention of your dentist. An emergency dental service should be found if the accident does not occur during normal business hours. If any part of your tooth, or even the whole tooth- root and all- breaks off, you should collect the piece(s) and store them to be transported in safe way to your dentist’s office or wherever you are seeking emergency treatment.

Safe transport of your broken tooth

You can safely transport any pieces or your whole broken tooth to your dentist office in milk or saliva. You should use water for this purpose only as a last resort. When you get to the dentist, provide them with all the necessary information they need to prepare fix the broken piece at the fracture site. Also tell the dentist if you have pain in the tooth and where the teeth have been damaged.

Important reminders when dealing with broken teeth

* Do not allow the tooth to dry out- as stated, put in milk or saliva to preserve it until you get treatment.

* The broken tooth or the fragment should be found within half an hour and then stored as described.

* Never touch the root surface if any is left in your mouth- this will most likely be painful and could help infection spread

* If your teeth are knocked out, you are only allowed to pick up the knocked-out tooth by the crown; stay away from the roots, as otherwise functional cells could be damaged.

* Never clean the tooth crown, even if it is dirty.

* If you can help it, do not try to insert the broken or completely broken tooth yourself, as this can destroy the fine root fibers. This makes reimplantation (replacement) by your dentist more difficult if not impossible.

Broken tooth: Treatment by the dentist

In principle, dentists can repair severe damage to broken teeth. If only small corners have broken out of a tooth, this defect can be made almost invisible with a tooth-colored filling. If a larger piece of tooth has broken off, a crown or veneer may also be necessary. If a whole tooth of the permanent dentition has fallen out (tooth loss), it can be reinserted (reimplanted) in the most favorable case, but this should be done as quickly as possible because the longer a tooth lies outside your mouth, the worse the chances of a re-transplantation.

what happens if you have a broken tooth