It is not uncommon, especially in the case of children who are playing and moving all day, who suffer a partial or total fracture of a tooth. Dental fractures are also usually common in athletes, especially if they engage in contact sports. But do we know what we should do when a tooth is broken? It is important that we know how to react with some speed since this will depend to a large extent that we can save our original piece. These are the steps to follow in case of fracture of a tooth.
Are all fractures the same?
Definitely not: there are different types of fracture of dental pieces and the treatment to follow is different based on them. The fracture of a tooth, usually after severe trauma, can be partial fracture or an avulsion (complete loss of the tooth). In the case of complete trauma losses, these are usually very scandalous as we generally begin to bleed a lot; that is why it is very important that we remain calm in this situation. The most important thing is to pick up the piece or pieces of the piece that we find and address our dentist urgently. The longer it takes to go to the office, the harder it will be for the dentist to save our original piece.
In the case of small fractures or splintering of the piece, it can usually be fixed with resin or composite, covering the broken part. It is equally important that we go to the office quickly so that the dental pulp is not damaged.
The first steps to follow after breaking a tooth
As we have said, the first thing is to remain calm and locate the piece or pieces of the tooth that have been broken. Once we have them we must wash them with running water or physiological serum without rubbing the tooth and its root and keep them correctly while we go to the emergency dentist. We can take the piece or the pieces of the piece in a little bottle with water or milk or, if it is not possible, keep them under the tongue (once disinfected) with great care not to swallow them.
If we have an open wound in the mouth, the most important thing is to disinfect it with rinses of salt water or physiological serum to prevent the proliferation of germs. In addition, if we are bleeding we can stop the bleeding temporarily, until we reach the dentist’s office, plugging the wound with gauze. If necessary due to pain we can take some pain reliever and put a cold compress on the face where we have suffered trauma.
How does the dentist help us?
The most important thing in these situations is that we hurry to reach the emergency dentist’s office: in the case of having lost the entire piece it is possible to re-implant it if we go quickly, but the chances of success are reduced if more happens half an hour or an hour since we have suffered trauma. In case of not being able to save our original piece, an implant will be necessary.
Once in the consultation, the specialist will assess our situation and evaluate the breakage of the piece: if it has affected only one third of the dental piece it is possible to rebuild it with composite. In the event that the tear has reached the dentin, it will be necessary to perform a root canal to kill the dental nerve. In the event that the patient is a child and the root of the tooth has not yet fully formed, it is possible to introduce a substance that helps its development more quickly. From there, a root canal would also be performed according to the dentist’s assessment.
