Why You Should Not Ignore a Broken Tooth

Teeth are extremely strong and can withstand an enormous amount of pressure. Every time you chew, you are placing extreme pressure on your teeth. However, when a blow occurs to the teeth, it can crack, chip or break the tooth. When this occurs, it may or may not be painful. If you have a damaged tooth, it is vital to seek dental care, even if it is not causing you pain.

At Sacramento Emergency Dentist, many of our patients seek urgent dental care because they are in pain and need relief. Pain is a good indicator that something is very wrong, but you can still have a serious tooth injury without pain. Tooth pain is caused by irritation of the nerves inside the tooth. Not all dental damage impacts the nerve roots, but it can still be detrimental to the tooth.

Risks of Damaged Teeth

Even a chipped tooth can have consequences down the road, but cracked and broken teeth should receive immediate attention. When the structure of the tooth is damaged, it can expose the interior of the tooth to bacteria. While a freshly broken tooth can often be repaired and saved with a quick filling, bonding or crown treatment, infected or decayed teeth may require a more invasive procedure.

When a tooth becomes infected due to bacteria reaching the interior portions of the tooth, there are usually only two choices: root canal therapy or extraction. Your tooth may not hurt after its broken, but it will likely become very painful if it is infected. To save the tooth, the infected material must be removed, along with the nerve roots, in a root canal procedure. The tooth will also likely need a dental crown placed to protect the weakened structure from additional damage.

Broken Teeth Repairs

If you crack or break a tooth, do not ignore your injury. It is often a single-visit repair that we can perform at our office in Sacramento, CA. Not only can it prevent pain and issues down the road, but tooth repairs are usually a fraction of the cost of root canal therapy. You can save yourself future pain and money by addressing your broken tooth right away.

For broken tooth treatment, give us a call at Sacramento Emergency Dentist. We offer same-day tooth repairs to protect your smile.