If one or more of your teeth becomes chipped or broken, it can cause a lot of pain and make you vulnerable to further complications.

A tooth is considered chipped if a part of it is broken off from the top, whereas a broken or cracked tooth is typically damaged from the biting surface to the gum and the fracture may even extend to the root of the tooth.

Both chipped and broken teeth should be examined by a dentist as soon as possible to avoid any risk of infection, unnecessary pain, or bite issues.

What causes a broken or chipped tooth?

Teeth are incredibly strong, but they’re aren’t invulnerable. There are all sorts of different causes to a cracked or chipped tooth, including:

• Grinding your teeth (bruxism)

• Trauma or injury

• Failed dental crowns

• Large fillings that may have weakened the tooth

• Wear and tear — you’re more likely to break or chip a tooth over the age of 50.

Often the cause of injury is something completely innocuous like eating, when you might accidentally bite down on something hard. No matter the cause, the best thing you can do is see a dentist as soon as possible.

Symptoms of a broken or chipped tooth?

There’s a good chance you will notice when your tooth becomes chipped or broken. You might feel the fracture happening, as localised pain radiating from the tooth, or hear a cracking sound while chewing. You’ll probably also be able to feel a chip or crack with your tongue.

That said, you may not always notice straight away especially if the injury is minor. If the break hasn’t exposed the inner layers of your tooth, you may not feel any pain at all. Nonetheless, it’s still important to see a dentist as the chip or break can worsen over time.

Some common symptoms of a chipped or broken tooth include:

• Pain, in severe injuries

• Swelling and/or bleeding of the surrounding gum

• Sensitivity to hot, cold, acidic or sweet foods

• Pain when chewing.

How to fix a broken or chipped tooth

Unfortunately, there is no way to fix a broken or chipped tooth at home. If you’re sustained damage to one of your teeth, get in touch with Kowhai Dental on 09 430 0707. We can talk you through any immediate first aid and schedule an appointment as soon as necessary.

It can often be difficult to identify the exact nature of an injury without professional dental knowledge, so we need to be able to examine your teeth to properly diagnose and treat the issue.

Immediately after damaging a tooth, it’s a good idea to rinse your mouth gently with warm water. Spit the water into a glass, in case any pieces of the tooth have come loose. If there are any loose pieces, bring them in with you for your dentist appointment.

If there’s bleeding, gently apply pressure with gauze or cotton wool for about ten minutes. An ice pack on the side of your face can help to reduce swelling, as well as over-the-counter ibuprofen.

When to see a dentist

No matter the nature or severity of your injury, it’s important to see a dentist about any chipped or broken teeth. The only thing that changes is the urgency.

For minor chips, which you may not feel or notice, there’s usually no rush. Book in with a dentist as soon as possible, but there is no need for an emergency appointment.

However, if the injury is causing significant pain, there’s a strong chance the inner layers of the tooth have been exposed. In this case, emergency dental treatment is crucial to prevent infection and minimise your suffering.

Call Kowhai Dental on 09 430 0707 or book an appointment online and we’ll make sure your chipped or broken tooth is treated with urgency and care.

What to expect

It can be hard to know what to expect when seeking treatment for a chipped or broken tooth, because teeth can break in many ways. Rest assured, when you come to Kowhai Dental for any reason, we’ll do our best to make sure you’re comfortable and informed the whole way through.

Before you come in, it helps to think about some of these questions so we can treat you as quickly as possible:

• When did the break occur? (Or when did you first notice it?)

• Do you feel any pain?

• Do you know which tooth has sustained injury?

After consulting with you, we’ll perform a standard examination and identify the location and nature of the injury. In some cases, we may require an X-ray. This is a simple process and can be done in our clinic in the same appointment.

Once we’ve worked out what’s going on, we’ll be able to recommend the best treatment for you. Below are some of the treatments that we may discuss with you:

Chipped teeth
For minor chips, treatment may be as simple as planing and smoothing the area around the chip so there are no rough surfaces for bacteria to hide in. Slightly larger chips may require a filling, and this can be completed in a single visit.

Broken teeth
Broken teeth are often more serious than chipped ones, however treatment comes down to the exact nature of the break. Below are a few different types of break:

• Fractured cusp
  A fractured cusp is when a large section of the biting surface of your tooth has broken off, but the inner layer of the tooth is not exposed. Treatment may be as simple as a new filling or a dental crown.

• Cracked tooth
  A crack that starts from the top of the tooth but does not extend below the gum line can be treated with a root canal procedure and a dental crown.

• Cracked tooth (below the gum line)
  More severe cracks, where the fracture extends to the root of the tooth, will usually require extraction.

• Split tooth
  If left unchecked, a cracked tooth may split into two distinct pieces and the tooth typically cannot be saved intact. Extraction is the best option.