Types of chips and cracks
Dentists assess damage by which layers are affected. The enamel does not have nerves, so chipping it is painless and often only bothers you externally or with a sharp edge. The dentin under the enamel is penetrated by tubules leading to the pulp; when it is exposed, sensitivity to cold, sweets and air appears. If the fracture line reaches the pulp or goes under the gum and into the root, the prognosis for the tooth is worse, and the tactics are determined after the image.
- Enamel chip is a cosmetic defect
- Chip exposing dentin - sensitivity
- Chipping with pulp exposure - pain and bleeding
- Enamel crack without broken fragment
- Cracked tooth syndrome - pain when biting
- Root fracture or fracture of tooth to gum
Why do teeth chip?
A healthy tooth rarely breaks without reason. More often, chipping occurs where the tissues are already weakened by a large filling, caries, or after root canal treatment: a pulpless tooth becomes more fragile. A special role is played by bruxism - night clenching and grinding of teeth, during which microcracks accumulate on the enamel over the years. Erosion of enamel from acidic foods and drinks, as well as the habit of opening packaging with teeth or gnawing on nuts, ice and seeds add to the risk.
- Injury, blow, fall
- Chewing nuts, ice, bones, seeds
- Large old fillings and caries
- Pulpless teeth without a crown
- Bruxism and malocclusion
- Erosion of enamel from sour
- Opening packaging and bottles with teeth
What to do right away
Rinse your mouth with warm water and examine the tooth. If a large fragment breaks off, save it in a humid environment, in milk or saline: sometimes you can glue it back. If your gums are bleeding, apply pressure with a clean tissue. The sharp edge can be temporarily covered with dental wax or sugarless chewing gum to prevent injury to the tongue. Do not heat your cheek or place the tablet directly on a tooth or gum - this will cause a chemical burn to the mucous membrane.
- Rinse your mouth with warm water
- Preserve the broken fragment in a humid environment
- Do not chew on the injured side
- Avoid very hot, cold and sour foods
- Cover the sharp edge with wax
- Do not apply the tablets to the gum and do not warm the cheek
- Contact your dentist as soon as possible
Diagnostics at the dentist
The doctor examines the tooth, assesses the depth of the defect and checks whether the nerve is affected: a cold test and tapping help to understand the condition of the pulp. A dental photograph shows whether there is a root fracture, hidden caries or changes at the apex. Cracks are not always visible, therefore, for cracked tooth syndrome, a test with biting on a special roller is used: a sharp pain is characteristic at the moment when the teeth are unclenched.
- Inspection with illumination and magnification
- Dental X-ray
- Cold test and percussion
- Bite test
- Assessment of occlusion and signs of bruxism
Tooth restoration
A small chip of enamel is smoothed out and restored with a composite material in one visit. If there is a significant defect in the chewing tooth, a ceramic inlay is more reliable, and if most of the coronal part is destroyed, a crown that covers the tooth and protects it from further splitting is more reliable. On the front teeth, a composite restoration or veneer provides an aesthetic result. If a nerve is damaged, the canals are first treated and then restored to shape. For prevention, it is important to eliminate the cause: for bruxism, the doctor makes a protective sleep guard.
- Polishing and restoration with composite
- Ceramic or composite inlay
- Veneer on front tooth
- Crown with significant destruction
- Canal treatment with pulp involvement
- Kappa for bruxism
- Quitting the habit of chewing hard things