If you have a damaged tooth, the first thing you need to do is schedule an appointment with a cosmetic dentist to avoid further damage or infection. When you go to see your dentist, they will examine the broken tooth and determine the best way to fix it.
Repairing tooth damage with cosmetic dentistry
Bonding or dental fillings
If your tooth is not badly damaged, your dentist can fix it with bonding or fillings depending on where the damage is. If the tooth damage is very small and on a back tooth, it can be repaired with a filling, which will cover up the hole where the piece of tooth fell off. If the damage is in the front where it is visible, your dentist will use bonding to fix the tooth.
Bonding is a quick procedure that does not require your dentist to numb the tooth. Your dentist simply needs to roughen up the surface of the tooth to make the bonding material stick to it. Once that is done, your dentist will apply an adhesive to the tooth then apply a tooth-colored resin, which is shaped to look like a natural tooth. The resin applied to the tooth is then hardened with ultraviolet light.
Dental veneers
This is a popular form of cosmetic dentistry used if the damage is to the front tooth. A dental veneer is a thin piece of composite resin or porcelain that is used to cover the front of the tooth, similar to what fake nails do for fingernails. A thicker section is then applied to the damaged tooth to replace the broken part.
This process involves your dentist removing some of the enamel from your tooth. After the enamel is removed, your dentist will make an impression of your damaged tooth and send it to a dental laboratory, where the veneer will be made.
When the veneer is ready, you will have to go back to your dentist to have it placed on your tooth. Just like the bonding process, your dentist will roughen up the surface of your tooth before applying the veneer and hardening it with a special light.
Root canal
This is done when the damage to the tooth exposes the pulp in your tooth. To prevent bacteria from entering and infecting the pulp, your dentist will perform root canal therapy, which involves removing the dead pulp, cleaning out the root and sealing it up to prevent further damage. The remaining tooth will then be covered up with a dental crown to prevent further damage or infection.
Root canal therapy requires two visits to the dentist. During your first visit, your dentist will clean out the infected tooth and make an impression of your tooth to make a dental crown. The impression is sent to the laboratory, where the crown will be created.
While you wait for your permanent crown, your dentist will give you a temporary crown to protect the tooth that has been cleaned out. When the permanent crown is ready, the temporary crown will be replaced.
Conclusion
Having a broken or damaged tooth is very common and can be treated with a quick visit to the dentist for some cosmetic dentistry. If you have a damaged tooth, schedule an appointment with your dentist to prevent the tooth from getting infected and to get it fixed.
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