Fractured tooth: what can cause it?
Breakage of the tooth can be caused by accidents, decay, inaccuracies in fillings, and incorrect bite. Treatment varies in each case, and in addition to restoring the broken tooth, addressing the underlying problem is also important.
If a tooth is subjected to a severe blow or pressure as a result of an accident, it often cannot withstand this force and a part of it breaks off. When treating teeth damaged in an accident, we must proceed extremely thoroughly and carefully. The area surrounding the tooth, the adjacent teeth, the temporomandibular joint, must be examined in detail, but it is best to examine the entire dentition thoroughly.
In many cases, the reason for tooth fracture is not an accident, but rather that due to decay, the walls of the tooth weaken, become thin, and during a stronger bite or consumption of harder food, the weakened part of the tooth breaks off.
This can occur more often with root-canal treated teeth, because the tooth no longer has a blood supply. In such cases, the tooth becomes brittle and is at risk of breaking with stronger bites.
Another common reason is if a tooth filling is not accurate or is too high, causing extra pressure when biting down. In such cases, this pressure can eventually lead to the tooth cracking and then breaking off after some time.
In addition, there are cases where an unnatural bite position puts too much pressure on the tooth. Further chipping of the tooth can also be caused by clenching during the day, or by grinding and clenching teeth at night, which unfortunately we cannot “turn off”, as we are not consciously doing it in our sleep.
The occurrence of tooth fracture is most common in whom?
Accident-related tooth fractures most commonly occur in the lives of athletes. They are extremely frequent, for example, in ice hockey players, footballers, basketball players and boxers, who can easily collide with another player during sporting activity and sustain injuries.
The accidental fracture of teeth also occurs frequently in children, who can more easily injure their teeth during sports or play, colliding with each other or falling.
During accidents, the front teeth are most often affected, with fractured incisors being the most common.
Tooth fracture due to decay can be prevented by regular six-monthly dental check-ups! If you visit your dentist regularly, tooth damage and fractures can easily be prevented, as these problems will be detected during thorough examinations and can be treated by your dentist in a timely manner. This will prevent teeth from breaking, which can also be accompanied by damage, tearing, swelling, bleeding, and pain to the oral mucosa and gums.
A törött fog okozhat fájdalmat és érzékenységet. Emellett növelheti a fertőzés kockázatát, és kihívást jelenthet az étkezésben. Hosszú távon problémát okozhat a rágásban és a beszédképzésben.
A sharp, broken tooth in the mouth can cause serious trauma and wounds to the tongue or mucous membranes. The tongue can be continuously scratched, which is painful and prevents healing. This can easily lead to sores, inflammation, or swelling on the tongue.
A broken tooth is not only a source of danger in the oral cavity, but the chewing surface lost along the fracture also affects chewing, and therefore digestion. If the broken tooth is untreated, it can be very sensitive and painful, depending on the extent of the fracture and the area affected.
Tooth loss, as well as a broken tooth, can also cause tooth migration. The tooth above or below the gap will begin to move into the space, attempting to fill it so that the bite can be perfect again. Naturally, a broken tooth should be treated as soon as possible, finding a suitable replacement solution, so that it does not affect the structure of the other teeth.
How can a chipped tooth be treated?
In the case of a chipped tooth, it's a good idea to see a dentist as soon as possible to start restoration as soon as possible and prevent further problems.
During the examination, we must first map the extent and origin of the fracture. Following this, a digital panoramic X-ray is necessary to assess whether inflammation has developed at the root.
Following the examinations, we will prepare a treatment plan and consult with the patient. During the consultation, we will jointly choose from the treatment options with the patient, and thenbegin treating the tooth and replacing the missing tooth.
If the fracture is only minor and the nerve is not damaged, we can replace the missing part of the tooth with a crown.
If the fracture is so severe that it affects the nerve, root canal treatment will definitely be required. The root-treated tooth is monitored for 3 months, after which an onlay inlay is prepared. This is a dental inlay made by a dental technician, based on pressed ceramic. The stability and durability of the inlay are very important because a root-treated tooth becomes very weak if a strong inlay is not placed on it.
If it's a minor tooth fracture caused by a bite, we will restore it with tooth-coloured, aesthetic, bio-compatible filling material, and we recommend our patient consult with our orthodontist. Orthodontic treatment can eliminate further tooth fractures.
If the fracture occurs due to grinding or clenching, we also recommend consulting an orthodontist. Fractures caused by clenching and grinding can be prevented with a plastic splint that can be worn during the day. However, restoring the bite can be a more lengthy process, and in some cases, wearing fixed orthodontic braces is also recommended.
How can we prevent tooth fractures?
We recommend visiting your dentist for a check-up twice a year, as this allows us to detect potential problems early. A tooth won't break if we notice in time that it's decaying, or if teeth grinding has affected it, or if it's protruding from the natural dental arch.
Furthermore, for any activity where your teeth might be subject to impact or strong physical forces, it is advisable to use a rubber-based mouthguard. This ensures that your teeth are always kept apart, securely embedded and yet fixed together in the rubber, protecting them from the sudden dislodging effects of impacts.
One of our patients told us that they were so afraid of the dentist as a child that they would visit every three months. They thought that in that amount of time, nothing bad could possibly happen, and they wouldn't be nervous before an examination. This is also a way to avoid anxiety, but we are certain that anyone who has visited us once will not return with fear.
We welcome you in our practice!
Ask our dentists and oral surgeons for help. Our team is experienced, trained, caring and always cheerful, and will be happy to offer you all their expertise, up-to-date knowledge, care and attention.
