Teeth are built strong.  And by practicing good hygiene and going for regular, professional cleanings and check-ups, you can continue to keep them strong. But despite your best care, there are occasions when your teeth can chip or break.

Why do teeth break?

Sometimes you can bite down on something hard, but also cavities often result in the thinning of the outer shell of tooth making it vulnerable to cracking.

If one or some of your teeth have cracked and you are in need of emergency dental service in the Yuma area, please call us at (928) 782-3839.

Different Types of Cracked Teeth and Treatment

The level of discomfort may vary, but a broken tooth may also cause sudden sensitivity. Below are some of the common types of fractured teeth diagnosed by dentists.

Minor cracks – can often develop on the surface of the tooth.  They affect only the tooth enamel and your dentist can just polish them away.

Chips – are cosmetic damage which usually do not need dental treatment, but they can be easily repaired.

Fractured Cusphis– occurs when a part of the tooth completely breaks off and sometimes there is no pain felt after the tooth fractures. It affects the entire tooth down to the nerve. A crown is sometimes all that is needed, but when the fracture extends into the middle part of the tooth, your Yuma dentist may recommend root canal therapy along with a crown.

Split Root Fracture– or a subgingival oblique fracture occurs below the gumline from biting down on hard foods, a previous filling or an incomplete root canal that was not finished with a crown. It can be restored if the fracture ends not too far below the gumline.

Broken teeth – that affect just the pointed chewing surfaces of teeth can be fixed with bonding or a crown.

Major breaks – Root canal treatment is recommended for badly broken teeth with exposed tooth nerves. They often bleed and are very painful.

Vertical Root Fracture– generally occurs in teeth that have had root canal therapy. An apicoectomy is performed to gain access to the root tip within the bone structure, if the fracture is very short in length. The part of the root that is fractured is then or else the tooth is extracted.

Oblique Root Fractures– damage the roots of teeth with the crown portion left intact. If the fracture is close to the crown, the tooth generally cannot be restored. It will require endodontic treatment and root amputation, if the surrounding roots are strong and healthy. When the fracture is close to the tip of the root, root canal therapy is performed on the fractured root tip. The body resorbs the untreated piece. This must be followed up with regular exams to check how the body responds to the treatment.

Yuma Dental Care

As you can see, there are multiple ways for your dentist to repair chipped, fractured, or broken teeth. If you are in the Yuma area and are in need of emergency dental care, you can reach us at (928) 782-3839.