Home Prevention Part of the front tooth has broken off, what should I do? What to do if a piece of a tooth falls off

Part of the front tooth has broken off, what should I do? What to do if a piece of a tooth falls off


Oral diseases develop in different ways. Sometimes a healthy row of teeth can be damaged by a chipped tooth, which is painful and unsightly. Regardless of the degree of the chip, urgent medical intervention is necessary. A damaged tooth can cause the development of complex dental diseases and, over time, become a source of infection.

  • Symptoms
  • Types of tooth chips
  • Causes
  • Complications
  • FAQ

Symptoms

The main symptom of a chip is pain and sensitivity of the tooth.

The degree of pain depends on the type of chip. If a piece of enamel on a tooth breaks off, you may experience a reaction to cold and hot food. If a fracture exposes a nerve or damages the pulp chamber, the tooth may hurt like complicated caries - pulpitis.

Types of tooth chips

Dentists distinguish the following types of chips:

  • incomplete chip - enamel crack;
  • chipped enamel on a tooth;
  • chipped dentin:
  • chipping, leading to opening of the pulp.

Depending on the type of chip, dentists determine the degree of damage to the tooth: minimal, medium and severe.

Cracks and chips of enamel are considered minimal damage, moderate damage is damage to dentin. Exposure of the nerve and pulp chamber is a severe injury.

Depending on the type of chip and the degree of damage, the dentist chooses a technique for treating and restoring the tooth.

Enamel chip

Tooth enamel is the hardest bone material in our body and requires special care.

Often we do not think about the health of the enamel and cause irreparable harm to it. Eating high in carbohydrates, eating too hard food, improper care, and bad habits thin the protective barrier and cause enamel chips and cracks.

Cracks and chips of enamel without damage to dentin usually do not cause significant discomfort, so patients often turn to the dentist too late. Untimely treatment can lead to a number of serious diseases and lead to the destruction of the dentition.

Dentin chip

Dentin is the mineralized hard part of the tooth that envelops the pulp chamber and nerve.

Dentin is responsible for the shape of the tooth; it is softer than enamel, but harder than bone. With moderate chips, there is a danger of dentin being washed out and subsequent damage to the pulp chamber.


When dentin is chipped, the patient may not feel acute pain; there is a reaction to sour and sweet foods.

Chip exposing the pulp

When the pulp is exposed, the tooth hurts severely; painkillers provide only temporary relief.

When dentin is chipped, exposing the pulp, dentists remove it, clean the canals, remove the nerve, and only then engage in restoration and prosthetics of the chipped tooth.

Causes

For successful treatment and restoration dentist needs to correctly determine the causes of tooth chipping.

The main causes of dental damage include:

  • dental trauma;
  • decreased acidity in the oral cavity;
  • reminilization of tooth enamel;
  • incorrect bite and position of teeth;
  • untreated dental diseases;
  • bad habits;
  • hormonal imbalance.

Dental trauma usually refers to fractures and chips that occur, for example, from an impact or a fall.

However, more often we injure our teeth day after day. Think about it, which of us hasn’t chewed caramel at least once in our lives, unknotted knots with our teeth, or eaten ice cream and hot coffee at the same time?

The list of bad habits could go on for a long time; they all damage the enamel and damage the integrity of the teeth. Eating carbohydrate foods disrupts the acid balance in the mouth; smoking and drinking alcohol are responsible for thinning enamel, cracking and chipping of teeth.


Nutrition is an important component of dental health. A lack of microelements can cause reminilization of tooth enamel, and subsequently - fractures and loss of dentition. The best way to prevent chipping is to eat properly, follow basic care rules, and visit the dentist in a timely manner.

Another reason for the appearance of chips can be hormonal imbalance, for example, with diabetes, diseases thyroid gland or during pregnancy. In this case, to find out the reasons, it is necessary to undergo a comprehensive medical examination.

A bite that is not corrected in time and pathologies in the location of teeth can also cause injuries.

The lower and upper rows of teeth can injure each other even when chewing, not to mention the fact that bite defects cause night teeth grinding. Teeth grinding leads to abrasion of the enamel and visible defects of the teeth.

An incorrect bite can also cause chips of the dental tissue adjacent to the gums. If the enamel breaks off at the gum, then the second cause may be caries in the cervical area of ​​the tooth.

In both cases, you should immediately contact your dentist. It will be necessary not only to restore the damaged tooth, but also to eliminate the underlying cause.

Video: strengthening tooth enamel

What to do if a piece of a tooth breaks off

It is necessary to contact a dentist as soon as possible.

Only quick action will help completely restore the tooth and prevent further destruction. For tooth and tissue injuries oral cavity first aid should be provided.

First aid

In case of chipped or broken teeth, a visit to the doctor is mandatory, but anyone can provide first aid.

What measures are taken in case of chipping?

  • Rinse with warm boiled water to remove food debris and enamel fragments.
  • In case of gum injury and bleeding, it is necessary to apply a sterile bandage to the sore spot.
  • Ice should be applied to the chip site to eliminate swelling and pain.
  • For severe pain, you can take a pain reliever.

Treatment in the clinic

To restore the aesthetic appearance of the dentition in dentistry, they use various techniques dental restoration.

Small chips of enamel are corrected using composite light-curing materials. The same materials are used for chipped dentin; in this case, the dentist will make a special hard inlay and install it with glue.

The technique of making inlays refers to microprosthetics and will require a previously prepared impression.

However, there are clinics where it is possible to produce composite inlays in one day, and this allows you to save time and not feel psychological discomfort, especially if a piece breaks off front tooth.


External chips of the front and side teeth are eliminated with the help of veneers - special plates made of translucent material, most often ceramic. Small internal chips in molars can be repaired with regular fillings, and sharp edges can be smoothed by grinding.

The loss of a significant part of the tooth, but without damage to the pulp, can be corrected by installing a metal-ceramic crown.

If the pulp is damaged, the dentist must perform depulpation to prevent inflammation and relieve pain.

In this case, tooth restoration occurs using a pin. The pin allows you to relieve pressure on the walls of the injured tooth, thereby relieving the load and preventing possible destruction.

It makes no sense to restore wisdom teeth, since they practically do not bear the chewing load and do not affect the aesthetics of appearance. Typically, when wisdom teeth are chipped or broken, dentists suggest patients have them removed.

Molar

When performing restoration of molars, the dentist chooses the restoration and treatment technique on an individual basis. The choice of technique depends on the degree and type of chip.

For example, it is more practical to restore internal invisible chips of molars with a filling, but to eliminate external ones, the use of composite materials will be required.


To restore lateral teeth, they are often installed metal-ceramic crowns. Metal-ceramics is a durable material that can withstand significant chewing load.

Video: metal ceramics

Front tooth

Chipped front teeth are of particular concern to patients, since visible defects in the frontal part of the dentition cause psychological discomfort.

A person is embarrassed to smile and talk; over time, chipped front teeth can lead to speech defects and changes in facial expressions. All these unpleasant consequences can be avoided by consulting a doctor.

If a front tooth has chipped, there are several ways to restore it:

  • damage to enamel and dentin - filling and grinding;
  • minor damage to the pulp chamber - removal of the pulp, necrosis of the nerve, filling, sometimes with the installation of a pin;
  • V difficult cases- microprosthetics with veneers and composite inlays.
Video: veneers

Complications

As a result, you can get a number of diseases:

  • caries;
  • pulpitis;
  • periodontitis.

All these diseases can lead to complete tooth destruction.

In addition, infection in the oral cavity causes diseases of the stomach, heart, liver and kidneys, since the teeth are directly connected to the organs through the circulatory and nervous systems.

Photo

In the photo you can see chipped front and molar teeth. The apparent catastrophic nature of damaged teeth is now successfully treated in dental clinics.

FAQ

What to do if a child’s baby tooth breaks off?

Chips of baby teeth are a common occurrence. The cause most often is childhood trauma, and the front incisors suffer.

Necessary:

  • calm your baby down and don’t panic yourself;
  • remove dirt by rinsing the mouth;
  • disinfect the wound, as well as the cheeks, gums and tongue with hydrogen peroxide;
  • contact a pediatric dentist within 24 hours;
  • If possible, save the tooth fragment and take it to the doctor.

The pediatric dentist begins treatment with an examination of the chip, anesthesia, and x-rays. The image will show the position of the tooth root, the condition of the dental tissues and jaw after injury.

To treat primary incisors, dentists use special gel, which is used to preserve the damaged tooth for 2–3 weeks until the wound is completely healed. Next, the treatment and restoration technique is selected based on the degree of the chip.

This could be filling, the use of veneers or other microprostheses, restoration with reflective materials.

Statistics show that 95% of chipped teeth in children can be restored without removing the nerve. To prevent tooth fragility in children, practice regular hygiene and eat foods containing calcium, phosphorus and magnesium.

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Causes of enamel chipping

If a piece of a tooth breaks off, you should know what to do and how to give yourself first aid.

If your teeth are chipping, you should look for reasons in your lifestyle and habits. Highlight following reasons enamel chips:


The integrity of the enamel is also compromised by eating very hot or very cold food. Untreated caries, which has progressed to an advanced form, can cause weakening of the enamel and its fragility.

Lack of vitamins and microelements, hormonal imbalance - all these are causes of weakening of the enamel, disruption of the mineralization process, which leads to fragility of the enamel and frequent chipping.

Malocclusion and improper placement of teeth in the oral cavity can cause one incisor to press on the other, weakening it. Thus adjacent teeth“displace” each other, which leads to weakening and chipping of the enamel. While chewing food, incorrectly positioned teeth press against each other, the enamel becomes thinner and quickly wears away.

If the incident has already occurred, you should understand in detail what to do if a piece of a tooth breaks off and prepare for a visit to the dentist.

First aid for chipped enamel

What needs to be done first and how the restoration will proceed if a piece of a tooth breaks off - this cannot be said without an examination in a doctor’s office.

When a piece of a tooth breaks off, you should immediately go to the dentist. In this case, you should provide yourself with first aid, which includes the following measures:

  • rinsing the mouth with water;
  • reducing gum swelling with an ice compress;
  • pain relief with analgesics.

To reduce discomfort, you should take any painkiller if a tooth chips and it still hurts, and what to do next will be decided by the doctor.

Unfortunately, after a tooth breaks off, there is nothing more you can do on your own.

Medical assistance

If a molar tooth has chipped, many people are afraid to visit the clinic, not knowing what exactly the dentist will do in this case.

Methods for correcting the problem depend on the causes of the chip.

If the enamel chipping occurred due to internal destruction, removal of the nerve and extension or prosthetics will be necessary.

There are several ways to solve the problem:

  • filling;
  • tabs made of reflective material;
  • installation of a crown;
  • use of veneers.

If a small piece of a front tooth breaks off, your dentist will tell you what to do. The solution to the problem depends on how large the damage is.

If a small piece of a back tooth has broken off, a filling is often used for restoration. Filling material is applied to the damaged area and using a special The grinder is rounded to give the required shape.

Inlays made of reflective materials allow you to disguise a small chip. They are made from an individual impression and applied over the damage.

Installation of a crown will be required if there is serious damage to the enamel, when no other method can be used. Also, a crown can be used in conjunction with a filling to impart rigidity to the structure. In this case, filling material is applied to the damaged area, and the top is covered with a crown.

Veneers can mask damage and are often used for chips in the visible area of ​​the mouth. They are thin ceramic plates that are placed on the wall of the tooth, hiding the damaged part.

For extensive chips the best option The solution to the problem is the use of crowns. Crowns made from modern materials are made to match the color of your native enamel, so the prosthesis will be invisible when you smile.

If a small piece of a tooth falls off, don’t panic. Modern dentistry solves this problem quickly and almost painlessly. If the problem recurs, you should consult a doctor, who will determine why teeth often break off and prescribe preventative measures.

How to avoid chipping?

Oral hygiene and regular visit dental office- this is a pledge beautiful smile And healthy teeth. To prevent enamel chips, you need to follow simple preventive measures.

Proper nutrition is important condition for the strength of the enamel and the health of the whole body as a whole. A balanced diet, consumption of sufficient vitamins and microelements is a guarantee of a dazzling smile and good health.

It should be remembered that in the case when a small piece of a tooth breaks off, you should think about the reasons and visit a dentist, who will assess the problem and decide what should be done in a particular case.

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Causes

The most common causes of tooth chips are:

  • mechanical damage: impact, fall, etc.;
  • excessive load on the tooth that occurs when biting knots, chewing nuts or caramel;
  • weakened enamel, in which the crown is damaged even due to slight pressure;
  • some types of abnormal bite: cross, deep, gnathic. With them, the crowns are not aligned correctly, which leads to constant pressure on each other and chipping of the weak parts;
  • damage to the crown by infection: pulpitis, caries.

Kinds

Depending on the degree of damage to dental tissues, there are 4 types of chips:

  1. Chip on the enamel. It is characterized by minimal damage to the crown, manifested in the form of a small microcrack.

    As a rule, deformation does not cause pain or discomfort, but is a place for the accumulation of pathogenic bacteria, which can subsequently cause inflammation of the tooth.

  2. Chip of the enamel itself. It is a localized loss of enamel in one area of ​​the crown, without dentin opening. The damage is accompanied by increased sensitivity of the crown in the area of ​​the chip, which can only be eliminated in the dentist's office.
  3. Dentin chipping. Characterized by damage to the tooth with exposure of dentin. It is distinguished by the appearance of severe aching pain. If left untreated, dentin quickly thins, allowing bacteria access to the pulp chamber.
  4. Chipping to the pulp chamber. It is expressed by breaking off one of the parts of the tooth, which opens the pulp chamber and exposes the nerve vascular bundle, located in it.

    This injury is most often characteristic of childhood. It is characterized by severe, sharp pain and the rapid onset of the inflammatory process in the pulp chamber. Absence dental care may in this case lead to tooth loss.

Before visiting the dentist

Even if a small crack or chip appears on the surface of the enamel and there is no discomfort, you should consult a doctor as soon as possible. Before visiting the dental office, you can help yourself at home. To do this you need:

  1. Rinse the damaged crown with warm water to remove bacterial plaque, food debris, and broken particles.
  2. To reduce pain or discomfort, apply a cold compress or application with an anesthetic intended for injection, such as Novocaine, to the chipped area.
  3. If the gums are simultaneously injured, it must be treated with an antiseptic and a gauze swab dipped in cool water applied.
  4. If there is strong pain, it is recommended to take painkillers: Nurofen, Analgin, Ketorol.
  5. In case of damage not only to the crown part, but also to the root, it is necessary to fix the tooth in its normal position and lightly press it.
  6. If the main part of the crown is broken, you should contact your dentist. urgently, since bacteria can penetrate the pulp and provoke the development of inflammation within a few hours.
  7. In order to facilitate the correction procedure, it is recommended to save the broken part for the dentist.

Recovery methods

Today, dental clinics easily cope with the problem of partial damage to crowns. To do this, various methods are used, differing not only in their correction principle, but also in cost.

Composite material

As a rule, this method is used for minor damage to the coronal part. It represents the restoration of the missing element using composite material by building it up layer by layer.

The composite is a light-curing material, which in its qualities is practically not inferior to enamel. The service of tooth restoration using a composite is one of the most affordable. Its cost is about 4500 rubles.

Tabs

Dental inlays are used to restore extensive destruction of the coronal part, exceeding half of its area. According to this method, correction is made using volumetric fillings, manufactured in a laboratory by direct or indirect method.

Inlays can be made of metal, durable synthetics, zirconium oxide and composite. Depending on the material used, the cost of this service may vary. from 5 to 15 thousand rubles.

Veneers and Lumineers

The best option for minor tooth damage would be to install veneers and lumineers. Both of them represent ceramic thin linings, which are fixed on the vestibular (front) surface of the teeth and cover their cutting part.

The only difference between these pads is the thickness. Lumineers are much thinner than veneers, so they can be installed without prior grinding of crowns. In addition, they differ in cost. The price for installing one veneer starts from 12,000 rubles, and Lumineer from 20,000 rubles.

Crowns

Crowns are designed to restore a badly damaged tooth that is missing more than half of its area. They look like caps that completely replicate the shape and appearance of a real tooth.

Just like inlays, crowns can be made of various materials: metal, zirconium oxide, plastic and ceramic.

The cheapest option is a metal-plastic crown, which will cost 3000 rubles. The most expensive are zirconium dioxide crowns, the cost of which is 25,000 rubles.

Prevention

In order to reduce the likelihood of chipping, it is necessary to adhere to preventive measures:

  1. It is necessary to pay oral hygiene increased attention. It is not enough to just brush your teeth morning and evening.

    In order to ensure the health of dental tissues, it is recommended to use additional devices for cleaning the oral cavity: floss, rinses, etc.

  2. Balanced diet, which should include foods rich in minerals. Since they are the elements that strengthen dental tissues.

    In addition, you should limit the consumption of sweet and sour foods, which make the enamel structure porous.

  3. Avoiding excessive strain on teeth: do not chew candy, nuts, pencils, do not bite threads or wires.
  4. During active sports, you should use protective elements and linings.

Complications

Even slight deformation of dental tissues is pathologically dangerous, as it can lead to a number of serious dental complications:

  • with an extensive chip with deformation of the root part, the position of the crown or adjacent teeth may change, which will tend to replace the free space;
  • pathogenic microorganisms begin to accumulate in small cracks, which provoke inflammation of the gum or dental tissue;
  • penetration of infection into the pulp will lead to damage to the neurovascular bundle and the spread of inflammation beyond its boundaries. This increases the likelihood of purulent infections in periodontal tissues: cysts, granulomas;
  • constant injury to the mucous membranes of the damaged area can provoke stomatitis with extensive growth of ulcers;
  • If the chipped area is localized in the gum area, then after a short period of time inflammation of the periodontal tissue develops. If left untreated, inflammation can also spread to the periodontium of adjacent teeth, causing them to become loose;
  • Damage not repaired in a timely manner will lead to further destruction of the healthy part of the crown and root, and tooth loss.

Problems with milky enamel

Damage to a tooth during primary occlusion is a fairly common occurrence due to the restlessness of young children. If chipping could not be avoided, it is recommended within the first 2 hours Contact your dentist to have the damage repaired.

Before visiting the dentist, you need to rinse your mouth and clean the damaged crown from plaque, warm boiled water. It is imperative to treat the teeth and oral mucosa with an aseptic, non-irritating solution.

When visiting the clinic, you must x-ray examination , since not only the upper part of the tooth can be damaged, but also the root.

To treat small chips in baby teeth, the dentist uses a special gel that restores dental tissue and prevents pathogenic microorganisms from penetrating the damaged surface.

In case of extensive chipping and severe damage to the pulp chamber baby tooth, the vascular bundle is removed in extreme cases, since the pulp in children tends to recover quickly.

In this video, the dentist talks about the measures that need to be taken if a tooth is broken:

Reviews

A large number of reviews show that dental restoration with various types chipping does not cause any difficulties today. This service is provided in all dental clinics at an affordable price.

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  • Reasons for a chipped tooth
  • Symptoms
  • Recovery
  • Reviews

Reasons for a chipped tooth

A piece of a tooth can break off for one of several reasons:

  • careless wearing of orthodontic structures,
  • fall, fight, blow,
  • while eating, if a hard product gets on the tooth (bone, cherry pit, etc.),
  • result of caries,
  • old crack,
  • damaged filling,
  • calcium deficiency,
  • weakened immunity,
  • chronic diseases,
  • various malocclusions,
  • hormonal imbalance.

Symptoms

Even with minor damage, the following symptoms will occur:

  • increased sensitivity of enamel,
  • reaction to cold, hot,
  • reaction to touch.

A serious injury will be manifested by sharp pain, the severity of which will depend on the depth of the injury. If the pain is unbearable, the tooth “pulsates”, most likely the pulp is open and the nerves are exposed. In this case, you need to urgently contact your dentist.

Kinds

There are several types of chips:

A crack in the enamel is an incomplete chip

A chip on the tooth surface (enamel chip)

Weak enamel is susceptible to chipping. Bad habits, poor diet, stress and chronic diseases thin out the enamel, causing cracks and chips.

Such injuries rarely cause any discomfort, so patients turn to the dentist late.

Dentin chip

Dentin is the layer of the tooth that is responsible for its shape. Dentin is softer than enamel and harder than bone. Dentin chipping is accompanied by an increase in the sensitivity of the enamel: it begins to react to cold, hot, salty, and sour.

A chip that led to the opening of the pulp chamber

If such an injury occurs, severe pain occurs, which only temporarily disappears when taking painkillers.

In addition, depending on the type of chip, the degree of damage is distinguished:

  • minimum,
  • average,
  • strong.

A piece of a tooth has broken off, what should I do?

If you notice that a piece of your tooth has broken off, you should contact your dentist as soon as possible. This way you can prevent further destruction and restore it as accurately as possible.

Before you see a specialist, do the following:

  1. Rinse your mouth with warm water to remove chips of enamel and food debris.
  2. If the gum is injured, apply a sterile bandage to it.
  3. Apply ice to the chip site to relieve pain and prevent swelling.
  4. If the pain becomes unbearable, you can take a pain reliever.

Recovery

So, you turned to a specialist. What methods of restoring teeth after chipping exist? Let's look at the main types of restoration of damaged teeth:

  1. Use of crowns.
  2. Application of veneers.
  3. Special tabs.

Let's look at how teeth are restored in different cases chips:

  • If the chip is small, the tooth is restored using special light-curing materials. The same materials are used in cases of dentin chips: special onlays are made that restore the tooth.

The technique for making such inlays requires a tooth impression and refers to microprosthetics.

  • If a front tooth is damaged, veneers - special ceramic overlays - can help restore it.
  • Small chips on the chewing teeth are covered with ordinary fillings, which are then polished.
  • If a significant part has broken off, it is necessary to install a crown.
  • If the pulp chamber is damaged, tooth depulpation is performed to prevent the development of the inflammatory process.
  • In most cases, there is no point in restoring wisdom teeth, since they do not take part in the process of chewing food. Most often, when damaged, wisdom teeth are removed.
  • If a chip occurs in a front tooth, there are several ways to restore it:
  1. If enamel and dentin are damaged, filling and grinding are performed.
  2. In case of minor damage to the pulp chamber, the pulp is removed, the canals are filled and a pin is installed.
  3. If the damage is severe, inlays and veneers are used.

A chipped baby tooth, what should I do?

Chips of baby teeth in children are a common occurrence, since children are very mobile and often fall. If your baby has a chipped tooth, follow these recommendations:

  • let the baby rinse his mouth with plain water to remove dirt, food debris and enamel fragments,
  • disinfect your child’s gums, cheeks, lips if they have been damaged by a chipped tooth,
  • It is advisable to consult a doctor within 24 hours,
  • If possible, save the fragment and take it with you to the dentist.

At an appointment with a specialist, the baby will definitely have an x-ray taken to check the condition of the root, as well as the tissues of the jaw after the injury.

If a primary incisor is damaged, dentists use a special gel that “preserves” the damaged tooth until it is completely healed. Next, restoration is carried out, the technique is selected depending on the nature of the damage.

Where is dental restoration performed in Moscow?

We offer you an overview of Moscow clinics where high-quality restorations are carried out.

Even strong and healthy teeth can sometimes become injured. For example, there may be a solid fragment in the food that gets on the tooth. In this case, part of it may break off. We will figure out what to do if a piece of a tooth breaks off, why this can happen, what types of such injuries exist, possible complications, as well as how to effectively fix this problem.

Teeth can be injured both in childhood and in adults. Since baby teeth are quite soft, they can be injured even more often than permanent teeth. This does not at all depend on the lifestyle that a child or an adult leads. No one is immune from such a problem. Therefore, it is important to arm yourself with information to understand what to avoid in order not to injure your teeth. Well, if an injury does occur, then it is important to take proper first aid so that there are no complications. Then you need to apply for qualified assistance dentist The modern level of development of dentistry allows you to quickly and painlessly restore almost any damage. Moreover, those around you will not even notice that an experienced dentist has worked on this area of ​​the tooth.

It is important to make every effort to strengthen your teeth. If the enamel is weak, then the tooth may be damaged even when biting off the usual fairly hard food. If we talk about which teeth are most often subject to chipping, then for the front teeth this problem is more pressing than for the chewing teeth. It is the front row that is involved in the biting process. And since these teeth are quite thin, chips on their enamel occur more often. In this case, it is the front teeth that are most visible. Therefore, the fact that a piece of a front tooth has broken off is always very worrying. In this case, you not only need to restore the damaged enamel, but it is important to do it as aesthetically as possible. But for an experienced dentist this will not be difficult. He has the most modern materials, equipment and advanced techniques at his disposal. That is why, if a piece of a front tooth breaks off, what to do should be decided by a doctor with experience and high qualifications. In his hands is not only the health, but also the beauty of the patient.

Chewing teeth can also be affected. As statistics and observations by dentists themselves show, pieces of chewing teeth can break off in cases where an unexpected small pebble, bone or very hard piece is found in food. So what to do in this unexpected situation? How to properly restore the former attractiveness and health of the tooth? In any case, it is important to understand that even if a chip on a tooth does not cause pain, it nevertheless needs to be eliminated. It looks very unaesthetic, and the functionality of the tooth may be impaired. Well, you should remember that if the enamel is damaged, caries begins to develop very quickly.

There can be many reasons for dental injury. Moreover, both fairly strong and healthy teeth and teeth with weak enamel can be injured. So, the reasons why a piece of tooth may break off:

  1. Mechanical injury. Something very hard may just get on the tooth. A person may not even know how strong his teeth are, for example, when eating hard nuts. Or maybe a solid piece of food just unexpectedly gets in.
  2. Heavy load on the jaw. When biting and chewing food, it is important to ensure that the load on the jaw is gentle. There is no need to risk overloading it.
  3. If the seal was installed incorrectly. If, due to the fault of the doctor, the seal was installed incorrectly, then it may fall out even under slight stress. This will leave a fairly deep gap on the tooth. If the filling is installed technologically correctly, and high-quality filling materials are used, then the filling should withstand the same load as healthy teeth.
  4. If the service life of the filling or inlay has expired. Most dentists provide a one-year warranty on the installed filling. But it should serve you much longer. The main thing is to maintain dental hygiene and not overload your teeth with too hard food.
  5. If the enamel has become too thin. Thin enamel becomes one of the main reasons that part of the tooth breaks off. No wonder. After all, if the enamel is too thin, it may not withstand even small loads when chewing or biting food.
  6. If the enamel is destroyed due to caries. Caries is one of the main reasons that lead to the destruction of enamel. Moreover, even if you brush your teeth regularly, this does not completely protect you from the development of caries. Therefore, it is important to see the dentist twice a year. If a problem arises, it is better to solve it at the initial stage of development. It is important to fight caries immediately so that the tooth does not decay further.
  7. If a person eats very viscous or hard foods. Food should not be overly hard. Particular care should be taken when eating nuts and dried fruits. It is better if the food has a fairly soft consistency. But even in soft porridges there may be pebbles or unpeeled hard grains. That’s why it’s better to sort out the cereal at home. Eat carefully, chew your food slowly and thoroughly, and do not rush.

The front incisors are considered the weakest in terms of enamel. The enamel on them is quite thin. They can be harmed even if you simply eat the seeds. But you can fight these. Contact your dentist about this problem. He can remineralize your teeth and advise you on what foods you need to include in your diet to saturate your body with calcium. You can also use special medicated toothpastes. You need to eat right. Remember that food should not be very cold or too hot. And if you eat dishes that differ greatly in temperature, then such a contrast provokes the appearance of microcracks. Such microcracks are invisible at first, but they greatly thin the enamel and make it brittle. Because of them, teeth become very sensitive. Over time, such teeth become quite fragile and can break even under not very heavy load. Most often this happens to the front incisors. They are the very first to deal with cold drinks or hot food. Therefore, take care of your teeth at every meal. It's better to wait until the soup cools down a bit than to go to the dentist later. Remember that food that is too cold or hot affects not only your teeth, but also your digestive system.

What types of spalls occur?

When a piece of a tooth breaks off, not only the enamel, but also the dentin can come off. This phenomenon is called a fracture. Fractures come in different types: closed or open. This may even expose the pulp. The location where the fracture occurred may also differ. The fracture area may be closer to the root, the root itself, or near the apex. At the same time, during a fracture, the tooth may or may not be displaced. When a fracture occurs, a very small, barely noticeable piece may break off, or perhaps a fairly large one. Depending on this, the following types of tooth fracture are distinguished:

  1. Minimum.
  2. Average.
  3. Strong.

With minimal damage, a fracture occurs only directly in the enamel area. In this case, the inner layer is absolutely not affected. With average, the inner layers of the tooth are also affected. And if the damage is severe, the tooth breaks completely. This exposes the nerve or pulp. This is the most painful type of fracture. If this happens, you should immediately contact your dentist.

If the root is broken

Sometimes there are cases where a root fracture occurs. This can happen even when visiting the dentist. In ordinary life, such a fracture occurs quite rarely. Most often, it is caused by manipulations in the dentist's office. For example, a root can break during tooth extraction. The front teeth are at risk, as they have a fairly thin and fragile root.

Diagnosing a root fracture is quite difficult. Even if the patient is x-rayed, the fracture may not be visible because the piece of root may not move much. Only a week after this happened, the fracture will become visible. Very often this problem does not manifest itself outwardly in any way. But occasionally gum inflammation may occur. At the same time, a person may not suspect that the cause of the inflammation was a fracture of the tooth root. It is important to be able to analyze and compare the manipulations that were performed on your teeth and the problems that arose.

Due to a root fracture, the function of the pulp is impaired. The degree of such a violation may vary. This is extremely dangerous for the tooth, as it does not receive the necessary nutrition and simply dies. This irreversible consequence in case of a root fracture, because if the doctor has determined medium fracture, then the tooth must be trepanned, that is, opened. After opening the tooth, the pulp is removed. If the fracture occurs near the apex of the root, then you can do without surgical intervention. You can simply put a filling.

Injury to baby teeth

It's not just adults who face this problem. In childhood, pieces of baby teeth can break off. What should parents do if they notice that part of a child’s tooth has broken off or even almost the entire tooth has broken? First you need to find out how seriously the tooth is injured. Sometimes the crown of the tooth breaks almost to the root. This is the worst type of fracture. It's quite painful. With such an injury, the tooth will most likely need to be removed. Well, if a piece of a tooth breaks off, then it is enough to perform a simple restoration. In any case, you should not delay your visit to the dentist. Most often, in such cases, a procedure is performed to build up the lost part of the tooth. It is important to try to save a tooth, even a baby one. Removing a tooth can cause nearby teeth to begin to change their location. This can ruin your teeth. It is important to maintain the child's correct bite. The location of baby teeth directly affects how permanent teeth will be positioned in the future.

Should I see a dentist if there is no pain? Of course it is necessary, and quickly. For any type of tooth injury, regardless of the complexity of the injury, you need to go to the dentist’s office. He must give a professional assessment of the current situation, as well as examine the remaining teeth. They may be too fragile and will require measures to strengthen the teeth. Try to ensure that your child's diet includes more foods that contain calcium. Many kids don't like dairy products, but this doesn't mean you need to give them up completely. Try to prepare delicious dishes with dairy products for your baby, and also try to explain why it is so important to eat them.

Sometimes the trauma to a child’s tooth can be so severe that part of the crown goes into the gum. Visually, it looks as if the child has broken a tooth completely or knocked it out. In this case, a broken piece will remain in the gum. It can cause severe pain and can also provoke serious inflammation. In such difficult situations, the help of a dentist is necessary in the most short time. Moreover, it is important that the dentist is experienced and qualified.

Children lead a fairly active lifestyle, and parents are not always able to keep track of everything. The child may fall, hit a hard object and receive a fairly strong blow. Such a blow can be from the side or along a vertical trajectory. Very often in such cases, a dislocated tooth occurs with displacement. In such cases, the gums become very swollen and the child is bothered by pain. It is very important that no infection gets into the wound. This is very dangerous, both for baby teeth and future permanent ones. But even in such a difficult case, there is no need to panic. It is very important that parents do not show their anxiety, as it can instantly be transmitted to the child. But he is already scared and confused from the injury he received. Contact your dentist immediately. Now the level of modern technology helps to completely restore even an almost completely knocked out tooth. This technique consists of inserting the knocked-out tooth back. To prevent a knocked out tooth from becoming infected, it must be placed in a saline solution. If you don’t have saline solution at hand, then take regular warm milk for the same purpose. It is important to keep your tooth clean. Immediately take it to the dentist, who should perform the implantation procedure.

What to do at the first signs of injury

If a piece of a tooth breaks off, what should you do in the first minutes? It is important to provide competent first aid. Sometimes a piece of a tooth may not break off completely, but only partially. In such cases, there is a chance to leave it. To try to hold the broken piece in place, you need to squeeze your jaw as hard as possible. In the event of a fracture, quite severe pain is inevitable. It is important to remove it as soon as possible. For this purpose, you can use a fairly cold compress. But this is just a way to relieve the pain a little. The dentist himself should provide assistance. Remember that the sooner in such cases the patient seeks qualified medical help, he has a better chance of saving his damaged tooth. First aid from a doctor is especially important in cases where the fracture is quite severe. For example, if a tooth breaks right in the middle of the root or begins to wobble quite strongly.

Don't rush to throw away the broken piece! It is best to save it in pure form and be sure to show it to a doctor. Sometimes bone tissue is required for the recovery process. Some people try to clean the fracture site as thoroughly as possible when a tooth is broken, using alcohol or hydrogen peroxide. This is not worth doing. There is also no need to try to clean the tooth as thoroughly as possible with your toothbrush. This can only further damage an already damaged tooth.

Sometimes dental injuries occur due to a jaw fracture. This injury is extremely serious and requires emergency care doctors. In this case, it is important that the jaw remains absolutely motionless. You might think that this is not so easy to do. In fact, it is enough to simply take a bandage and bandage the affected jaw, grabbing the top of the head. Sometimes in such cases there is bleeding from the nose. What to do in such a difficult case? Everything is also quite simple. It is enough to lower your head and apply a cold compress to the bridge of your nose. And of course, you need to immediately go to the doctor. In the hospital, in case of such fractures, the victim must be sent to take an x-ray. Only with its help can you objectively assess how damaged all the tissues of the jaw and face are, whether there are subluxations or dislocations. Unfortunately, such injuries often happen to children. Children cannot always objectively assess the consequences of their actions, so it is important that parents try to protect them from possible injury.

Possible complications

If a tooth breaks off, what should you do to avoid any complications? First of all, it is important to get advice from a competent dentist. He will assess the extent of the damage and recommend the best way to fix the problem. The injury to the front teeth is especially noticeable, but if there is a chewing fracture, then no less attention will be required. After all, each tooth performs its own important function. Injury to any of them will negatively affect the important process of biting, chewing, and even diction. Many people are concerned about the aesthetic side of this problem, but we must not forget that a tooth injury can not only spoil the aesthetics of your teeth. Other complications are possible, for example:

  1. Infection may enter the pulp area. And this is already threatening serious inflammatory process, in which the temperature rises, general weakness and quite debilitating pain.
  2. Teeth may become more sensitive. If a piece breaks off from a tooth, this can significantly increase its sensitivity. Moreover, even a small piece of chipped enamel can negatively affect tooth sensitivity.
  3. A tooth fracture can cause its roots to become bent.
  4. Occlusion may be compromised. Occlusion is bite. It is very important that it is correct. If the bite is incorrect, then the teeth may be more likely to decay, and food will not be chewed properly. With improper occlusion, chewing teeth are especially damaged.
  5. Cysts or granulomas may appear.

Damage to a tooth can have an extremely negative impact on its root. Even if the tooth was quite strong and healthy, there are often cases when, after a fracture, the root grows at a certain, previously uncharacteristic angle. Due to such curvature of the root, deformation of one or even several teeth can occur. In more complex cases, deformation of the entire dentition occurs. If you had to remove a tooth, it is very important not to leave an empty space, as it can cause the dentition to shift. Your doctor should suggest you get an implant. This will keep your bite correct. By the way, a correct bite is not only beauty, but also health. With the correct bite, biting and chewing food occurs as efficiently as possible. Even a slight malocclusion can lead to food pieces being too large or, for example, food being difficult to chew. This can lead to gastrointestinal diseases.

Recovery methods

What to do if a piece of a tooth breaks off? What can be done to preserve it? These and other important issues should be addressed directly by the dentist. His arsenal includes modern technologies, high-quality materials and his own irreplaceable experience.

So, you've turned to a good dentist. He must decide which recovery method to choose. To do this, a detailed examination of the oral cavity is carried out and the degree of tooth trauma is assessed. If the pulp has been exposed, the doctor will remove the bundle of nerves and seal the canals. If a front tooth has been damaged, the function of the entire jaw will be slightly affected. It is worse if the chewing tooth is broken. But the injury to the front teeth is most easily noticeable, which is why an aesthetic problem arises. There are several ways to restore the former attractiveness of your front teeth:

  1. You can perform prosthetics by installing dental crown. Today, various materials are used for its manufacture. Most often it is ceramics or metal ceramics. Each material has both its advantages and disadvantages. You can ask your dentist about them.
  2. Veneers. This restoration method is relatively new. Veneers are very thin shells that are placed on the front of the tooth. To do this, the tooth is slightly filed down and some other manipulations are performed that protect the enamel from caries and allow the veneer to stay on the tooth for a long time. The thickness of the veneers is microscopic – up to 1 mm. However, they are quite expensive. But the result will exceed the most optimistic expectations. Veneers will serve you for a long time, provided that during their installation all elements of technology were strictly observed. If you are afraid that their color will differ from the natural shade of your teeth, we hasten to reassure you. The color range of veneers allows you to choose absolutely any shade based on the natural color of your enamel. Another plus is that they will not change their shade for many years.
  3. Tabs. This is a fragment of a tooth that replaces only the part that has collapsed. If a conventional filling cannot eliminate the defect, an inlay is used. This is a good way to save a tooth. Thus, it can be restored to its former form and functionality. Another advantage of inlays is that they prevent further tooth decay. If the tooth has been severely damaged, the insert is sometimes reinforced with a titanium liner. You can also use inlays when installing crowns. It will also help support the bridge. Inlays have become one of the most affordable, fastest and most reliable methods of dental restoration. It is securely fixed on the tooth with a special cement composition. Then it is polished. Inlays for installing a crown are used in cases where the tooth root is well preserved, but the natural crown itself is severely damaged. Advantages of tabs:
  • the functionality and appearance of the tooth are preserved;
  • the tab is more durable and strong than a filling;
  • the tab will not shrink and polymerize;
  • they are not stained by any coloring food components;
  • with their help you can remove even large chips;
  • This is an excellent preparation of teeth for the installation of a bridge or crown;
  • they protect tooth enamel from abrasion;
  • The inlays are fully compatible with various prostheses and increase their effectiveness.

The doctor must decide which recovery method to use. Much will depend on the extent of the damage, as well as the location of the tooth. If there is a severe fracture of a chewing or front tooth, it is better to get a crown. But it is important to know that the adjacent teeth will have to be ground down. Veneers are often used for injuries to the front teeth. These thin onlays are almost indistinguishable from the patient’s own teeth. But sometimes the front teeth break in such a way that they can no longer be restored. In this case, you will need to clean the canal and install an implant insert.

If a front tooth chipped off and you saved this piece, then experienced dentist will cope quite well with full restoration tooth This is done using pins that are installed inside the channels. Externally, the tooth will look quite aesthetically pleasing. This operation will preserve the functions of the tooth and will not disrupt the bite.

So, we looked at the algorithm of actions in the event that a piece of a tooth breaks off, found out what types of fractures there are, as well as restoration methods. But it is best to be careful and prevent such injuries.

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Injuries, falls, accidents, various diseases, and hard foods can cause damage to the integrity of the chewing units. If a piece of your front tooth breaks off, what should you do at home and what will the dentist do? Is it possible to save such a tooth, and what methods are used for this?

Causes of injury

Trouble can occur due to one of reasons:

  • incorrect wearing of orthodontic appliances,
  • fight, accident, strong blows,
  • chewing hard foods,
  • presence of old cracks,
  • poor quality or old fillings,
  • malocclusion,
  • deficiency of vitamins and microelements in the body,
  • weakening of enamel by carious process,
  • hormonal imbalance in the body.

Regardless of the cause of the chip, you must contact your dentist as soon as possible to restore the integrity of the chewing unit.

Contact your dentist as soon as possible.

Symptoms

Even if the crack is small, the next one will inevitably appear. signs:

After a serious injury (after a fight, accident, fall), the pain syndrome can be severe. If the pain is throbbing, this may indicate damage to the pulp.

Types of damage

Several chipping options are possible:

  1. If enamel cracked, this is an incomplete chip, the most harmless type of damage, which usually does not cause pain. Weakened fabric is susceptible to chips and cracks. Patients often ignore chipped enamel, not considering it a serious problem. But such damage increases the load on the tissue and also opens the way for pathogenic microorganisms.

This tooth will gradually begin to decay. A small chip can turn into a crack over time. Cracks in the enamel of the anterior units disrupt the aesthetics of the smile.

  1. Chip dentin and may also be painless, but it is very dangerous. The load during chewing increases, and microscopic cracks inevitably appear, destroying tissue. If the problem is left to chance, you can lose a tooth.
  2. Chip accompanied by exposing the nerve- the most dangerous. It is difficult not to notice such an injury, as it is accompanied by unbearable pain. Most often, this happens when a tooth splits into two parts. The risk of infection getting deep into the tooth increases, so it is important to immediately contact your dentist for help.

Before and after restoration.

Classification of cracks

Depending on the nature of the damage, cracks can be of several types:

  • vertical passes through the middle of the tooth, dividing it into two parts. Such damage often extends into the gums,
  • horizontal provokes chipping of a small part of the enamel,
  • inclined is located diagonally and, if left untreated, leads to the loss of a significant part of the masticatory unit,
  • internal The crack is not visible, but over time it will make itself felt.

Regardless of the type of crack, it is necessary to show the damaged tooth to a specialist.

What can you do before visiting a doctor?

Make an appointment with your dentist as soon as possible (unless you have a serious head injury where you need to call an ambulance, then dental treatment will fade into the background). Before visiting the clinic at home, do the following:

  • Gently rinse your mouth with warm water (possibly salted) to remove dirt, pieces of enamel, food debris,
  • Carry out oral hygiene as usual, but carefully brush your teeth in the area of ​​injury,
  • if the chip is serious, it is better to save the chipped piece, this will help the dentist restore the integrity of the damaged chewing unit,
  • in case of severe pain, take a painkiller,
  • if the mucous membrane, lips, gums are damaged, treat the wounds with an antiseptic solution.

Do not delay your visit to the dentist, as modern techniques for restoring damaged units make it possible to correct the situation in the most difficult cases, provided that timely measures are taken.

Even a small crack will cause serious complications over time.

Complications

At untimely application the following options are available to the dentist: complications:

  • development of pulpitis against the background of infection penetration into the pulp chamber,
  • increased enamel sensitivity,
  • root damage, which can provoke the development of periodontitis,
  • mobility,
  • the appearance of cysts, granulomas,
  • violation of jaw closure.

How to choose the optimal restoration method?

The choice of method for restoring a damaged tooth will depend on the nature of the damage, the location of the chewing unit and the patient’s personal preferences. Possible scenarios:

  • a chipped front tooth can be covered with veneers, lumineers, or in case of serious damage - with a ceramic crown,
  • half a unit has broken off - metal-free crowns are suitable for front teeth, crowns or inlays for chewing teeth,
  • if the figure eight is damaged, it would be advisable to remove it (eights are not involved in the chewing process, they quickly deteriorate and often injure neighboring healthy teeth),
  • Chips often occur on pulpless teeth, as they are weakened after the nerve is removed. In this case, extensions to a pin or an inlay with a crown will help.

If you seek medical help in a timely manner, it is possible to restore damaged teeth even if only the root remains.

Milkman injuries

Active children's games are not complete without falls and blows, so injuries to milkmen are not uncommon. If such a problem happens to your child, do the following:

    • Let your baby rinse his mouth with warm water to remove tooth fragments, dirt, blood,
    • if there are scratches or cuts in the mucous membrane, treat them with an antiseptic solution,
    • try to get to the dentist on the same day,
    • If possible, save large tooth fragments for the doctor.

The baby is followed by an X-ray at the clinic to check the condition of the root and bones of the jaw.

What to do if a piece of a tooth breaks off

There is hardly a person who has managed to avoid such a problem as a chipped tooth throughout his life.

Completely different living conditions and circumstances can cause this problem, but the main thing is to take appropriate measures in time to preserve the tooth and extend its service life.

Causes of chipped teeth

There are many factors that can affect the strength of teeth. Even the slightest deviations in a person’s well-being can affect the enamel, causing it to break off and cause tooth decay. Among the most popular reasons:

There can be many reasons, but if such a nuisance occurs, it is necessary to take prompt action. This will help to at least partially save the tooth.

There are different types of damage

Types of chips are distinguished by the degree of their impact on the tooth:

The photo shows a chipped front tooth enamel.

  1. Considered the most harmless chipped enamel. The victim complains of a chipped tooth wall, but does not feel pain. Often in such a situation they do not even go to the dentist. But this is the wrong approach to the problem. The absence of enamel is a direct load on the dental tissue. It is this area that will be most attacked by harmful bacteria. From negative impact the affected tooth will begin to rapidly decay. In addition, if the enamel is chipped on the front tooth, then the smile will look unaesthetic.
  2. If a piece breaks off, damaged tooth tissue - dentin, then such a chip can also be painless, but dangerous for further functioning. Due to damage, the tissue weakens significantly; mechanical stress causes microcracks to form, which destroy dentin day by day. If you don’t build up a tooth in time, you can lose it completely.
  3. The most dangerous type of chip is tooth decay with exposure of nerves. Such damage often occurs when a tooth splits into two parts and it will not go unnoticed, as it is accompanied by severe pain. It is necessary to urgently visit the dentist so as not to introduce bacteria into the tooth and take measures to restore it.

What to do if a tooth is broken?

If a piece of a tooth breaks off, you should not panic. The situation is not so dangerous as to torment your nerves once again. First of all, you should look at the degree of damage and build on this basis rough plan actions. For mild to moderate chips, you should call the dental clinic and make an appointment.

Chipped tooth with pulp damage

If your nerves are exposed, it is simply pointless to wait for the appointed date, since the pain will not allow you to eat or sleep peacefully. It is better to immediately go to the emergency dentist or, if possible, arrange an emergency visit to the treating dentist.

To reduce pain, you can lubricate the damaged tooth with a swab soaked in novocaine.

If you cannot visit a doctor in the near future, you must carefully observe oral hygiene: brush your teeth twice a day, rinse your mouth with salt water after eating.

Specialist help

No matter how insignificant the chip may seem, in any case it must be shown to a professional in this field to get recommendations and fix the problem.

Dental treatment scares many people, but it is better to immediately repair a tiny crack than to have the tooth removed later.

The dentist will assess the situation with an experienced eye and offer the optimal treatment option, which may differ depending on the nature of the chip and the location of the tooth.

What to do if your front tooth is broken?

The front teeth are visible, so a chipped piece on them can turn into a “disaster” for public people. Depending on how large a piece has broken off, your doctor will advise different ways treatment.

In almost any situation, it is possible to restore a piece of tooth using artistic restoration using composite materials. The dentist will select the color of the restoration paste and apply it in layers, securing each level with light radiation.

An ignorant person will not even understand that the tooth has been augmented. This is one of the most effective and economical methods that will be offered in any clinic. The filling is very resistant and durable, while it matches the color of the teeth and has a natural shine.

The photo shows the restoration of a chipped front tooth with a veneer

A more expensive method of treating a chip is veneer coating. As a rule, it is resorted to in case of significant damage, if it is not possible to build up a filling.

The ceramic coating is applied from the base of the tooth and completely repeats the desired shape. Veneers are strong and durable, and they do not lose their color over time.

If a large piece breaks off, a crown will be required. Typically, ceramic, cermet or zirconium oxide are used depending on personal preference.

The process of installing a crown is accompanied by its fastening either to the outer teeth or by installing a pin. In prolonged cases, the latter method must be used to treat the front tooth. If you visit the dentist on time, you can get away with only minor intervention.

Treatment of lateral teeth

When treating a lateral or, as it is also called, a posterior tooth, the same methods can be used, but not all of them are justified. Since the side teeth are usually not visible to others, it is enough to eliminate the chip with a filling.

The dentist will use a light-hardening filling to fill in the tooth deficiency, thereby extending its service life.

True, unlike the front teeth, veneers are rarely installed on the side teeth. Even if a very small piece of the tooth wall and root remain, you can build up the remaining part using composite materials or install a crown.

Particular attention should be paid to the problem of exposed nerves. In this case, treatment is first aimed at antiseptic action. If the nerve is damaged, it will be removed in several steps and a tooth will be formed that will last for a long time, even if it is “dead.”

Vertical crack

The most unpleasant thing about chipped teeth is the presence of a vertical crack that touches the pulp, which means restoring the tissue with a filling is not possible. In such cases, patients complain of a tooth split in half, and often one of the halves is loose.

Even a barely noticeable crack can cause enormous damage, not to mention deeper damage. Every day there is pressure on it, so the tooth tissue, although it is imperceptible, is destroyed. Eventually a split will occur, which will cause not only inconvenience, but also, most likely, severe pain.

the tooth is split in half, one half is loose

Small cracks can be “patched” using an enamel restoration procedure. Strengthening the surface of the tooth will extend its service life.

If this does not help, and the microcrack continues to grow, the dentist will suggest strengthening it with veneers or a crown.

Failure to take such measures will result in tooth decay, which, based on statistics, will be impossible to restore. The tooth will be removed and a prosthesis will have to be installed in its place. The same treatment will be carried out if a tooth is split in half.

Damage to a baby tooth

Many parents believe that baby teeth do not need to be treated, since they will still change over time. This misconception especially concerns chips.

Healthy baby teeth are the key to strong teeth in mature age. If a piece of a baby tooth falls off, it is important to determine the cause of the destruction. Most often the problem lies in injury.

Parents should disinfect the mouth and the chip site and go to the dentist. The dentist will apply a preservation gel and also prescribe a treatment that is appropriate in a particular case. Most often, you can get by with a regular filling, which will strengthen the tooth until it falls out.

Chips on teeth are also undesirable for children because they can negatively affect resistance to diseases such as stomatitis. In addition, even increased tooth sensitivity can affect the child’s mood and well-being.

Possible difficulties and problems

The presence of a chip in itself is an unpleasant fact, but if you turn a blind eye to its treatment, you can develop a number of accompanying problems:

  1. One of the undesirable consequences is pulp infection. Infected tooth tissue will not only cause severe painful sensations, but it can also completely collapse, which will lead to tooth loss.
  2. Chips can cause cysts and granulomas.
  3. Severe chipping caused by trauma can change the angle of the tooth root. This will cause it to shift, sometimes the entire row will shift, the bite is disturbed. When the root is tilted, the damaged tooth is removed and prosthetics are prescribed so that the dentition does not move from its usual place.
  4. The most minor complication is increased tooth sensitivity. A person will react to the temperature of the food and drinks consumed, and discomfort may appear from using the usual hygiene products: toothpaste, mouthwash, refreshing spray.

And although the chips don't seem dangerous problem, they must be eliminated in a timely manner. It is much more effective to instantly react to the slightest changes, be it a small crack or a minor chip, than to get into a hopeless situation with tooth extraction and further prosthetics.

Types of chipped front teeth

What to do if a piece, wall, or enamel of a front tooth breaks off? Enamel is the most durable fabric human body. Despite this, teeth are often damaged, chipped, or broken off due to various reasons. The front ones are at greatest risk in this regard. When this happens to canines or incisors, many people perceive it as a disaster. There are actually ways to restore teeth.

Types of dental damage

Depending on the severity of the consequences and the area of ​​damage, chips are divided into several types:

The level of tooth damage is determined according to the existing chip. Of the above, the first two are considered easy in dentistry. The destruction of the dentin layer is a moderate level of damage, and if the tooth pulp is exposed, it is a severe level.

Causes of dental damage

The choice of treatment and tooth restoration depends on determining the cause of the chip.

Typically the damage is caused by:

  • What should the patient do if any part of the front tooth is chipped?

    Any of the damage requires medical care to restore the function and appearance of the tooth. For the front ones this is of particular importance.

    Before visiting a doctor, the patient can take the following actions:

    When a noticeable piece of a tooth has chipped off, it makes sense to save it. It is likely that it will be useful during further restoration and will help preserve the appearance of the organ.

    When visiting dental clinic The doctor will choose a treatment method based on the level of damage. For the front teeth, restoration is done taking into account their location. In addition to dental quick response measures, the patient will have to take more careful care of his teeth. If the cause of the chip is not eliminated, the next organ may suffer the same.

    Treatment for chipped enamel

    If only the enamel is damaged, the patient begins to feel hot and cold, sour and sweet. It would seem that such a problem can be solved with special toothpastes and gels. But in in this case they won't help.

    The specialist will prescribe a course of enamel remineralization consisting of 10-15 procedures. For applications with calcium and fluoride preparations, apply a tampon soaked with them to the damaged area for 20-25 minutes. The use of remineralizing compositions with electrophoresis is even more effective. This way, beneficial substances in the form of ions penetrate deeper into the layers of enamel and become more securely fixed there. At the end of the course, the tooth is coated with fluoride varnish to prevent further damage.

    Dentin chip therapy

    This is a more serious destruction; strengthening with remineralizing compounds cannot be done here. The tooth is filled using materials that match the color. Usually a light-curing composite is used. The filling is then polished to make it shiny and similar to the rest of the tooth.

    Restoration of severely damaged teeth

    If the chip has affected the pulp chamber, the nerve will most likely have to be removed. Otherwise, the patient will be doomed to endure constant toothache. After removal of the pulp under anesthesia, the tooth is filled. If necessary, this is done with the installation of a transparent pin, which will help strengthen the tooth and give the filling a more aesthetic appearance.

    In difficult cases, to restore its appearance, the front part is covered with veneer. If a tooth is more than half destroyed and it is unrealistic to restore it with a filling, even using a pin, you will have to wear a crown.

    Is it possible to leave a damaged tooth without treatment?

    Defects in appearance not only bring psychological discomfort into the patient’s life, but also provoke further speech defects and negative changes in facial expressions. Therefore, chipped teeth, even if they seem minor, must be treated. Otherwise, pathogenic microorganisms will be activated in places of damage, which will continue to destroy the tooth.

    What can the patient expect in this case:

    Any of them can completely destroy the tooth. An infection existing in the oral cavity also leads to diseases of the digestive tract, cardiovascular diseases, and the excretory system.

    3 methods to restore chipped front teeth

    Chips are a problem that occurs much more often than it might seem at first glance. A piece breaks off, as a rule, on the front teeth, because they are not designed for heavy loads, but it is with them that we most often bite off hard bones, it is on them that we fall unsuccessfully or damage them due to bad habits (for example, gnawing seeds or biting the tip of a pencil ).

    Many patients are interested in how to restore chipped front teeth. We present to you the three main methods that a dentist can offer. The editors of the UltraSmile.ru portal decided to figure out which of them is the best in terms of price-quality ratio.

    1. Artistic extensions

    Artistic restoration is a method in which chips are restored using various restoration materials (we are talking about composites - they are also used for classic tooth filling). They allow you to replicate the shape, color and transparency of a natural tooth.

    Such restoration is carried out directly in the patient’s mouth - using polymers or composites, the doctor restores the integrity of the tooth, literally building it up. The advantage of the technology is speed (they came to the doctor and left with new teeth), as well as the price. The cost of restoration is from 2-3 thousand per element.

    Artistic restoration

    Among the disadvantages is not too long service life. The extended tooth will last about 3-5 years. At the same time, it will have to be protected from stress and regularly polished so that the composite remains smooth - otherwise, if there are micropores, bacteria, plaque and coloring pigments of products will accumulate in them. The color of the restoration will change.

    On a note!

    If the chip is strong, that is, almost to the root, you can install a pin or stump inlay inside the canals, and then build up the crown using composites. This option will extend the service life for several more years.

    2. Veneers and lumineers

    Veneers are thin veneers made from ceramic or zirconium. They are fixed on the front part and completely hide almost all imperfections - gaps in the row, discoloration, pigmentation, as well as small chips and cracks. Naturally, this option is more expensive. By the way, if there is a large chip, the tooth will still have to be restored first, namely, extended. But the technology can be carried out more mediocrely, using less expensive options, since it will be covered with overlays.

    Lumineers

    The cost of installing veneers is from 20 thousand per tooth. Such onlays are installed in 2 visits - during the first visit, the enamel is prepared (part of it is ground down for a better fit of the veneers), during the second, the onlays are directly fixed.

    “I’ve been wanting to get veneers for a long time, because there were several chips! There were extended restorations everywhere. The only thing that put me off was the price - it is, of course, very high, because you have to put it on several teeth at once to make it look beautiful. Just recently I met a dentist who offered me a very good discount))) I am simply incredibly pleased with the result. I'm not ashamed to smile, everything looks great, so I recommend it to anyone who has doubts. The main thing is to find your doctor. »

    from correspondence on forums

    3. Crowns on teeth

    Another option to solve the problem is crowns. They completely cover the damaged tooth, or rather, its top. They are used in cases where the chip is so severe that neither extensions nor veneers are suitable.

    For front teeth, it is better to choose crowns without metal in the base - such material can show through in the light and the restored tooth will look dark. Therefore, preference should be given to ceramics or zirconium. The cost of such prostheses is from 15 thousand rubles.

    Crowns for front teeth

    Which method is better?

    To summarize: artistic extensions are cheap, but not very durable. Veneers need to be installed on several teeth at once in order to fully transform your smile, which means it will be quite expensive. Crowns allow you to restore even one tooth, and you can choose a very aesthetic option. Which of the following should I choose? It’s difficult to say - only a doctor can give an exact answer, knowing and seeing the initial situation (and also taking into account your financial capabilities). Therefore, we still recommend trusting your choice to your orthodontist, who will be able to offer a solution that is the most optimal in appearance, quality and affordable.

    Options for restoring chipped front teeth

    Chipped tooth - what to do if a piece of enamel breaks off

    Has sensitivity recently increased or have you noticed an obvious defect on one of your teeth? How to determine if you have a chip and what kind of disease it is, is it worth urgently running to the dentist because of it? This article will answer basic questions about the causes of chipping, the severity of the consequences if left untreated, methods for restoring chipped teeth, and preventive measures that will help you prevent this type of dental damage.

    Mechanical reasons for the appearance of a chipped tooth can be accidents when riding a bicycle, rollerblades or skating without appropriate protection, sports equipment getting caught in the jaw while playing active sports (hockey, football, basketball, volleyball), lack of a mouth guard when practicing wrestling, car accidents, trivial falling on a hard object, getting a piece of hard food or a foreign object on a tooth, carelessness of a doctor when treating adjacent teeth, and much more.

    There are other reasons why teeth chip. They are most often associated with the general condition of the body: reduced level of immunity due to frequent illnesses, chronic diseases internal organs, lack of calcium, fluoride and other minerals and vitamins, failure to comply with basic rules of oral hygiene.

    There are also frequent concomitant diseases that can result in a tooth chipping: carious destruction of the crown or walls, crumbling of a filling made from low-quality material, which increases the load on the damaged tooth, a previous injury that led to a weakening or crack of the tooth. All of this can affect the integrity bone tissue and lead to tooth fracture.

    What is a chipped tooth? Tooth enamel, no matter how hard it may seem, is very sensitive to increased levels of acidity in the mouth. As a result of this increase, the acid washes out substances from the bone tissue that make it resistant to external influences, which contributes to the gradual destruction of the tooth. We don’t notice this visually, but over the years we increasingly react painfully to hot, cold, sour and sweet food, which means that the condition of the enamel is very deplorable. Microcracks form in it, into which pathogenic bacteria constantly enter, promoting further destruction.

    A tooth chip is a mechanical damage to bone tissue, as a result of which a small piece of enamel breaks off, or a larger piece that exposes the dentin layer, or a large part of the tooth covering the pulp. It is worth keeping in mind that not only moderate and severe damage needs treatment. Even a small chip requires attention, since over time it can develop into something more serious.

    Treatment of chips

    How often does a person start to panic when faced with an unexpected situation? Yes, almost always. It would be very nice to have detailed instructions on hand for all occasions, but, alas, this is not feasible. In this regard, the Internet is an excellent assistant these days. I typed the essence of the problem into a search engine and received an immediate answer. For example, in this article you can find out what to do if a piece of a tooth breaks off.

    First of all, don't panic. Even if the damage is quite serious, you first need to pull yourself together. Rinse and disinfect your mouth, remove foreign objects if present, inspect soft fabrics for the presence of enamel fragments in them. If you can't cope on your own, ask someone close to you to help. If, for example, a piece of your front tooth broke off and you found it while rinsing, try to save it until you visit the dentist. Most likely, it will not be possible to heal it, but it will be easier for the doctor to build the tooth back to its original shape.

    If you have a serious injury, for example, a chipped tooth under the gum, you should urgently consult a dentist. This way you minimize the risk of further damage to damaged tissues, and also endure pain. long time Not every person is capable, and drinking handfuls of strong painkillers is harmful to the body.

    Modern dental practice offers many options for artistic restoration and restoration of a chipped tooth. Of course, treating a chipped tooth is not a one-minute procedure and the doctor will have to tinker, but the result is really worth it, since not only the anatomical, but also the aesthetic properties will be restored.

    For a small chip, it is quite enough to use a light-curing composite, but if half of the tooth has chipped off, you cannot do without restoration. For example, if there is a chip on the front tooth, using veneers is an excellent option. These are thin ceramic onlays that are made directly to the shape of the patient's tooth. Of course, their production takes some time, but after installation it will be impossible to discern the difference between a natural tooth and a restored one.

    For a seriously chipped tooth, restoration can also be done using a crown. Today, metal-ceramics are very popular, which in their aesthetic properties is in no way inferior to veneers, and allows you to preserve a damaged tooth for as long as possible. long years, protecting it from external influences and destruction.

    In case of the most significant destruction, when the dental pulp is damaged, the doctor will perform depulpation and, if necessary, restore the tooth on a pin to relieve the load on the damaged walls. In some cases, for example, if there is a chipped wisdom tooth that is difficult to reach for treatment, or a chipped tooth that cannot be restored at all, the dentist may suggest that you remove it so as not to waste extra time and money.

    So, your tooth has chipped, what should you do? Visit your dentist as soon as possible, since delay allows pathogenic bacteria to penetrate into the damaged area and quickly destroy tooth remnants that can still be restored.

    Prevention

    What precautions should you take to prevent your tooth from chipping?

    • Of course, follow the rules of personal hygiene. Brush your teeth at least twice a day, preferably with toothpastes enriched with fluoride and calcium, especially if you have weak enamel.
    • Eat less sugar and more vitamin-rich diet foods, fruits and vegetables.
    • Avoid chewing candy, nuts and other hard foods.
    • To avoid chipping your front teeth, give up bad habits such as biting thread, holding hard objects in your mouth (pens, pencils, hooks, knitting needles, needles, etc.), biting your nails.
    • When practicing active sports and wrestling, use protective equipment.
    • Visit the dentist for preventive examination at least once every six months.

    Even a minor defect obtained mechanically can develop into a serious problem. This is why it is so important not to put off visiting the dentist.

  • Mechanical reasons for the appearance of a chipped tooth can be accidents when riding a bicycle, rollerblades or skating without appropriate protection, sports equipment getting caught in the jaw while playing active sports (hockey, football, basketball, volleyball), lack of a mouth guard when practicing wrestling, car accidents, trivial falling on a hard object, getting a piece of hard food or a foreign object on a tooth, carelessness of a doctor when treating adjacent teeth, and much more.

    There are other reasons why teeth chip. They are most often associated with the general condition of the body: a reduced level of immunity due to frequent illnesses, chronic diseases of internal organs, lack of calcium, fluoride and other minerals and vitamins, non-compliance with basic rules of oral hygiene.

    There are also frequent concomitant diseases that can result in a tooth chipping: carious destruction of the crown or walls, crumbling of a filling made from low-quality material, which increases the load on the damaged tooth, a previous injury that led to a weakening or crack of the tooth. All this can affect the integrity of the bone tissue and lead to tooth fracture.

    What is a chipped tooth? Tooth enamel, no matter how hard it may seem, is very sensitive to increased levels of acidity in the mouth. As a result of this increase, the acid washes out substances from the bone tissue that make it resistant to external influences, which contributes to the gradual destruction of the tooth. Visually we don’t notice this, but over the years we increasingly react painfully to hot, cold, sour and sweet foods, which means that the condition of the enamel is very deplorable. Microcracks form in it, into which pathogenic bacteria constantly enter, promoting further destruction.

    A tooth chip is a mechanical damage to bone tissue, as a result of which a small piece of enamel breaks off, or a larger piece that exposes the dentin layer, or a large part of the tooth covering the pulp. It is worth keeping in mind that not only moderate and severe damage needs treatment. Even a small chip requires attention, since over time it can develop into something more serious.

    Treatment of chips

    How often does a person start to panic when faced with an unexpected situation? Yes, almost always. It would be very nice to have detailed instructions on hand for all occasions, but, alas, this is not feasible. In this regard, the Internet is an excellent assistant these days. I typed the essence of the problem into a search engine and received an immediate answer. For example, in this article you can find out what to do if a piece of a tooth breaks off.

    First of all, don't panic. Even if the damage is quite serious, you first need to pull yourself together. Rinse and disinfect your mouth, remove foreign objects if present, inspect soft tissues for the presence of enamel fragments. If you can't cope on your own, ask someone close to you to help. If, for example, a piece of your front tooth broke off and you found it while rinsing, try to save it until you visit the dentist. Most likely, it will not be possible to heal it, but it will be easier for the doctor to build the tooth back to its original shape.

    If you have a serious injury, for example, a chipped tooth under the gum, you should urgently consult a dentist. This way you minimize the risk of further damage to damaged tissues, and not every person is able to endure pain for a long time, and drinking handfuls of strong painkillers is harmful to the body.

    Modern dental practice offers many options for artistic restoration and restoration of a chipped tooth. Of course, treating a chipped tooth is not a one-minute procedure and the doctor will have to tinker, but the result is really worth it, since not only the anatomical, but also the aesthetic properties will be restored.

    For a small chip, it is quite enough to use a light-curing composite, but if half of the tooth has chipped off, you cannot do without restoration. For example, if there is a chip on the front tooth, using veneers is an excellent option. These are thin ceramic onlays that are made directly to the shape of the patient's tooth. Of course, their production takes some time, but after installation it will be impossible to discern the difference between a natural tooth and a restored one.

    For a seriously chipped tooth, restoration can also be done using a crown. Today, metal ceramics are very popular, which in their aesthetic properties is in no way inferior to veneers, and allows you to preserve a damaged tooth for many years, protecting it from external influences and destruction.

    In case of the most significant destruction, when the dental pulp is damaged, the doctor will perform depulpation and, if necessary, restore the tooth on a pin to relieve the load on the damaged walls. In some cases, for example, if there is a chipped wisdom tooth that is difficult to reach for treatment, or a chipped tooth that cannot be restored at all, the dentist may suggest that you remove it so as not to waste extra time and money.

    So, your tooth has chipped, what should you do? Visit your dentist as soon as possible, since delay allows pathogenic bacteria to penetrate into the damaged area and quickly destroy tooth remnants that can still be restored.

    Prevention

    What precautions should you take to prevent your tooth from chipping?

    • Of course, follow the rules of personal hygiene. Brush your teeth at least twice a day, preferably with toothpastes enriched with fluoride and calcium, especially if you have weak enamel.
    • Eat less sugar and more vitamin-rich diet foods, fruits and vegetables.
    • Avoid chewing candy, nuts and other hard foods.
    • To avoid chipping your front teeth, give up bad habits such as biting thread, holding hard objects in your mouth (pens, pencils, hooks, knitting needles, needles, etc.), biting your nails.
    • When practicing active sports and wrestling, use protective equipment.
    • Visit the dentist for a preventive examination at least once every six months.

    Even a minor mechanical defect can develop into a serious problem over time. This is why it is so important not to put off visiting the dentist.

    Every person has experienced trauma. It is not always possible to notice when a piece of a tooth has broken off. A thorough examination of the mouth will reveal scratches and chips. In addition to minor injuries, there may also be fractures. At the same time, it is necessary to know why teeth break off. After all, mechanical damage is not the only reason.

    Why do chips occur?

    The dentist involved in the treatment must know why the tooth chipped. This will help the specialist choose the right method of treatment and restoration. Teeth chip when:

    • injured (fall and blow);
    • there are abnormal bite pathologies;
    • there was a hormonal imbalance;
    • have chronic diseases;
    • have bad habits;
    • the structures installed by the orthodontist are used incorrectly;
    • there is demineralization of tooth enamel;
    • weakened immunity;
    • harmful foods are consumed;
    • there is a low level of acidity in the oral cavity;
    • neighboring teeth are infected;
    • have caries;
    • the seal is damaged;
    • The crack has long been formed.

    Minor damage may occur daily. The reasons are different. When tooth enamel is weakened, hot and cold drinks and food have a negative impact on it. They lead to a small piece breaking off, which a person will see sooner or later. A proper diet helps strengthen tooth enamel.

    If minerals and trace elements are supplied in small quantities, the enamel becomes weak. Due to demineralization, part of the tooth may break off. When chewing food, damage occurs to the lower and upper teeth against each other if there is an incorrect bite. In such a situation, a grinding noise occurs at night, due to which the enamel begins to chip. When a piece breaks off to the gum, complex caries will develop in this area.

    In the process of restoring an area where the enamel has chipped or a crack has formed, the type of injury is taken into account. The severity of the damage determines the choice of method for restoring the internal and external areas. There are 3 categories of damage.

    1. Minimal – scratches and cracks, in which only the enamel on the tooth has chipped off.
    2. Medium – damage in which dentin is destroyed.
    3. Severe – pulp injury.

    The damage is classified into one of the types and a treatment method is chosen. The patient needs to go to the dentist immediately after a piece of the tooth breaks off to avoid complications.

    Therapeutic measures

    The front teeth are the most susceptible to chipping because they are used to bite food. In addition, this area of ​​the face accounts for not small part domestic injuries. What to do if a piece of your front tooth breaks off? In this case, either a small crack on the front tooth or a complete chipping of the crown part may appear. A smile area with a chipped front tooth looks very unaesthetic. Its treatment depends on the level of severity.

    1. When there are minor chips of the enamel on a tooth that do not affect the condition of the internal layers, the problem is solved by building up the tooth using composite materials. They are the same as for filling. These composites become solid when exposed to light. The procedure does not last long and does not bring painful sensations, and the chipped parts will be restored. After preparing the damaged area, the composite material is applied layer by layer.
    2. Your dentist may use lumineers and veneers to restore a chipped tooth. They are thin plates installed in place of the front part, which broke off, and some of the side parts. Most often, onlays are glued when a piece of the front tooth breaks off. According to external data, they are an imitation of the natural color of enamel. Veneers differ from lumineers only in thickness. These products help restore the outside of the tooth.
    3. Another treatment option was the installation of crowns. This method is used when the internal layers have been destroyed and half of the tooth has broken off. Before restoring the crown, the pulp is removed, the root canals are cleaned and filled. If the crown part of the tooth has been completely damaged, then implantation is used.
    4. Similar methods are used to treat back teeth. In this case, veneers cannot be used, but there are other restoration methods. At the same time, attention is paid to their functionality, and not to aesthetic data. In most cases, the chewing tooth is restored with a composite material used for filling. Sharp edges with a seal are sharpened with special tools to prevent injury to soft tissues.

    If the tooth is molar and the chip affects the chewing part, ceramic inlays are installed. They help restore the surface. For serious injuries, when the tooth root is damaged, crowns and bridges are used. In this case, implantation is the most reliable treatment option. When a wisdom tooth breaks off, it may not be restored, and there are reasons for this. There is no serious load on these bone elements, so restoration of minor damage, when a piece of enamel has broken off, is carried out, and in case of serious injury, the tooth is removed.

    First steps after a tooth chip

    What to do when a piece of a tooth breaks off? Every person should know how to act in the event of chips and breakage. First of all, you need to calm down and not panic. Next step is a mouth rinse. For this you can use weak brine or warm water. The procedure removes blood, broken enamel, food debris and dirt from the mouth. Rinse is repeated 2-3 times a day before visiting the dentist.

    In this case, you need to clean your mouth twice a day, but be careful with the remaining pieces. Once the broken piece is found, it can be preserved. Especially if the violation is significant. It can be used to restore the original shape of the crown. When there is damage and there is severe pain, it is not recommended to delay a visit to the dentist.

    Temporary relief in a situation where the wall of a tooth has broken off can be brought by taking painkillers. A strong effect is observed when using a tampon that is moistened in novocaine. It is applied to the damaged area for a short period of time. A Validol tablet or natural propolis will help make the pain less noticeable.

    It is very important to disinfect injuries: scratches, cuts of the mucous membrane and lips. The procedure is carried out to prevent infection from entering the blood. But the most important thing you should do is visit the dentist as quickly as possible. Even if the enamel on your tooth is slightly chipped, there is no need to delay treatment.

    What complications may arise?

    Even if timely help was provided within the walls of the house, when a piece of a tooth breaks off, the patient must visit a dentist. In addition to aesthetic problems, complications may arise, including:

    • inflammation;
    • pulp infection;
    • increased sensitivity in the area of ​​destruction;
    • root fracture or bending;
    • tooth mobility;
    • improper closure of the dentition;
    • the appearance of cysts.

    Negative consequences can be avoided by taking an x-ray. Based on its results, the doctor identifies the broken area and other damage. When there are violations, the dentist prescribes a course of treatment.

    To avoid a situation where teeth begin to chip, you should consider the following recommendations:

    • treat carious lesions in a timely manner;
    • maintain proper nutrition;
    • monitor your health;
    • correct the bite in a timely manner;
    • Avoid situations where mechanical damage may occur.

    Remember the most important conclusion from this article. If a piece of a tooth breaks off, it is necessary to begin treatment. It is easier to deal with a problem in a timely manner than to deal with its consequences for a long time. The high level of development of dentistry guarantees you a solution to any problem associated with chipped and broken teeth.



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