MEDICAL INSIDER
DR. RHODA ENTERO

What to Do When You Chipped a Tooth

(Part 4)

We have started discussing the types of tooth
breaks. These types include: minor cracks or
craze lines, cracked tooth, chips like minor cracks,
broken cusp, and serious breaks,
There are more types of tooth breaks which we are
enumerating below:

  • Split tooth – this is the instance wherein the tooth
    has split vertically into two (2) separate parts.
    Some teeth like your molars have more than one
    (1) root. It may be possible to keep one (1) of the
    roots. Your dentist will tell you that you need a root
    canal treatment. He will remove roots that cannot
    be kept. The remaining root will be covered by a
    crown. If the root cannot be saved, the tooth will
    have to be totally removed.
  • Vertical breaks or split root – these are cracks that

start in the root of the tooth and extend upward
toward the chewing surface. These breaks can be
painful and your tooth may be removed.

  • Decay-induced break – this is a case when your
    tooth has broken because a cavity weakened it.
    Your dentist will check the cavity to recommend
    the best treatment to restore your tooth. If the
    decay is too extensive, your tooth may be
    removed.
    How can your dentist repair your chipped
    tooth? Here are some ways:
  1. The chipped tooth can be polished to smooth
    out the jagged edges.
  2. Fillings can be placed to repair chipped molars,
    while bonding will be done if the broken tooth
    is in front.
  3. Tooth reattachment is performed when you still
    have the tooth fragment that broke off. Place it
    in a glass of milk. The calcium content of the
    milk will keep the tooth fragment alive. Your
    dentist may be able to cement the fragment
    back onto your tooth.
  4. For uncomplicated chips, your dentist may
    suggest bonding. Bonding uses tooth-colored
    composite resin. It is a simple procedure where
    the dentist scratches the surface with a liquid
    or gel to roughen and use a bonding material
    to follow the shape. Application of adhesive
    material and the tooth-colored resin are the
    next steps. Lastly, the dentist will use an
    ultraviolet light to harden the material. Bonding
    can last up to ten (10) years.
  5. If there is an extensive damage or the tooth
    has a lot of decay, crown or cap may be
    required. The dentist may grind the remaining
    tooth and cover it with a crown or cap which
    are made to protect the tooth and improve the
    appearance. There are different types of
    materials used in creating crowns – metal,
    porcelain fused to metal, all resin, or all
    ceramic. Metal crowns are the strongest while
    porcelain and resin look the same as the
    original tooth. This treatment will take two (2)
    visits as your dentist may require dental X-rays
    to check the roots, tooth, and the surrounding
    bone. The dentist will numb your gums and
    tooth to remove the remaining tooth and make
    the area available for the crown. Filling
    material can also be used to hold the crown.

This is your temporary crown. On the second
visit, which is two (2) to three (3) weeks after,
your dentist will replace the temporary crown to
check if the permanent will fit before cementing
it. There are dental offices that already have
special digital milling technology. Using this will
take only one (1) day to do the crowning
procedure. (To be continued)