A tooth broken in half, often called a fractured tooth, is one of the most common dental emergencies. It often occurs during fall injuries, sports activities, and physical violence. However, it can also be caused by extensive caries, large restorations on weakened teeth (i.e. tooth that has undergone root canal treatment), and parafunctional habits like bruxism.
Depending on the intensity of impact, tooth fracture could be superficial or serious. Superficial fractures like microcracks and uncomplicated crown fractures are confined in the enamel only. Serious fractures may involve the enamel, dentin, cementum, and pulp.
What happens if my tooth breaks in half?
A tooth broken in half is something that should be taken seriously. The patient may experience the following:
- Pain and sensitivity– This is common in traumatic dental injuries. The tooth contains nerves and blood vessels inside. When your tooth breaks in half, these nerves and blood vessels will be exposed and will cause pain. In addition to that, the ingress of bacteria from the oral cavity will cause inflammation of the pulp.
- Abscess or infection- If the inflammation goes untreated for a long time, this might lead to a bigger problem like an oral abscess.
- Bleeding- If the cause is trauma, the blood will not only come from the broken tooth but also from the damaged surrounding oral structures. It is important to control the bleeding and immediately go to your dentist for treatment.
- Impaired oral functions- The patient may find it difficult to chew or bite because the tooth is very sensitive and painful. In addition to this, the tooth could also be mobile which would make function difficult for the patient.
- Further trauma to other structures– The jagged edges of the damaged tooth can cause further soft tissue trauma to the surrounding oral structures such as the lips, tongue, and cheek.
- Self-esteem issues- Broken anterior teeth can also cause self-esteem issues, especially for self-conscious patients.
Can a half-broken tooth be repaired?
Most of the time teeth that are broken in half, especially if the crack split the tooth into two vertical halves, are often irreparable. However, the answer as to which tooth can be repaired will heavily rely on the actual case and the condition of the tooth.
Routine Restoration
Small cracks and fractures that only involve the enamel can be bonded or filled by a composite filling material. If the crack or fracture involves the dentin, the dentist can cover the sensitive dentin and then restore or reattach the fractured part.
Treatment can become complicated if the pulp is involved already like in the case of a complicated crown-root fracture. Your dentist can do a root canal treatment on the damaged tooth depending on its restorability(Patnana & Kanchan, 2023).
Crown-Lengthening
If your tooth broke off below the gum line, your dentist might recommend a crown lengthening procedure before the root canal treatment. After the root canal procedure, your dentist might suggest restoring your tooth broken in half with either a dental crown or a post-core crown.
Endodontic Treatment
In the case of pediatric patients with immature teeth (teeth that have not completed root formation), your dentist might do a partial root canal to save the pulp. But if the pulp is non-vital already, then your dentist might suggest a root canal and then do a process called apexification.
Should a half-broken tooth be removed?
There are cases in which your dentist will recommend the extraction of your tooth. If your tooth is non-restorable, then your dentist will not suggest that you proceed with a root canal treatment. Your root canal treatment will fail if your tooth doesn’t have enough structure to receive a filling or a crown.
In the case of a split tooth in which a tooth is broken in half vertically up until the root area, your dentist might recommend extraction already. This is very difficult to manage and the prognosis for this type of fracture is poor compared to crown fractures that do not involve the pulp.
The prognosis or treatment outcome really depends on the type of injury, the delay of treatment, and the quality of treatment given to the patient. So it is important that you set up an appointment with your dentist immediately so they can evaluate which treatment option is best for your unique situation.
What will the dentist do if half my tooth is broken?
For traumatic injuries, the dentist will take a thorough clinical and radiographic examination of the injury. Depending on the type of trauma and the depth of injury, your dentist will make a comprehensive treatment plan for the patient. As mentioned earlier, uncomplicated cases can be managed using bonding, fillings, or crowns. Complicated cases might necessitate root canal treatment and frequent follow-ups.
Diagnostic procedures for broken teeth
For carious teeth, the dentist will do a clinical and radiographic exam. A pulp vitality test will be done to determine if the tooth is vital or necrosed already. The dentist might also do a transillumination test, bite test, and periodontal assessment. This will help determine how deep the crack is, which structures are already affected, and if the tooth is restorable or not.
Treatment if tooth was broken in half
Your dentist will then decide which treatment is appropriate for your condition. If your tooth is restorable, your dentist will recommend root canal treatment followed by a filling or a crown restoration. If the crack is quite below the gum line, your dentist might recommend a crown lengthening procedure in which part of your gums will be removed to facilitate crown restoration. All of these procedures will be done under local anesthesia to prevent unnecessary pain and anxiety in the patient.
If your tooth might get need to be extracted, your dentist must discuss which post-extraction restoration will be placed in the edentulous area. Your options might include a dental implant which requires surgery. There are also dentures in which you have two options; fixed or removable.
You must discuss all of the possible treatment options with your dentist before you proceed with any treatment.
Tooth Be Told
A broken tooth can be repaired depending on the damage. A hopeless case will most likely require extraction. You must consult your dentist immediately to assess the tooth and come up with the best treatment option for you.
