A broken tooth can happen suddenly and unexpectedly, turning a normal day into a painful emergency. Whether from biting down on something hard, suffering a sports injury, or simply dealing with weakened tooth structure, dental emergencies require prompt attention.
We can repair most broken teeth if you act quickly. Our dentist will take a conservative approach whenever possible. We’ll try to save your broken tooth in our New Orleans, LA, office before we consider extraction.
Broken Tooth Types and Causes
That sickening moment when you feel or hear your tooth crack is something no one forgets. Broken teeth are among the most common dental emergencies we treat at Canatella Dental. Understanding what causes these breaks and knowing the potential risks helps you respond quickly when facing this painful situation.
Your tooth might break from a physical injury or teeth clenching and grinding. Other common culprits include falls, untreated cavities that weaken your tooth structure, or large old fillings that no longer properly support your tooth.
When a tooth breaks, it doesn’t always look the same. You might have a cracked tooth with a line running from the chewing surface toward the root. Or perhaps a chipped tooth with just a small piece of enamel missing. Some patients experience a fractured cusp where part of the chewing surface breaks off around a filling. More serious breaks include a split tooth that’s vertically divided into separate parts, or a vertical root fracture starting below the gumline and working upward.
That broken tooth isn’t just a cosmetic issue. It can lead to serious problems if left untreated. The inner pulp that contains nerves and blood vessels can become infected. Abscesses might form at the root tip or in surrounding gum tissue. In worst-case scenarios, infections can spread to other parts of your body. It can lead to bone loss around the damaged tooth, and ultimately result in losing the tooth.
Home Care Before Seeing a Dentist for a Broken Tooth
While you’re waiting for your emergency appointment at our New Orleans office, several at-home measures can help manage pain and protect your broken tooth.
First, rinse gently with lukewarm water to clean the area and remove any loose debris. If you notice bleeding, apply gentle pressure with clean gauze for about 10 minutes until it stops. To reduce swelling and numb the area, hold a cold compress against your cheek. 10 minutes on and 10 minutes off works best.
For pain management, over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen can help reduce both pain and inflammation. Avoid aspirin as it might increase bleeding. If that broken edge feels sharp against your tongue or cheek, pick up some dental wax from a local pharmacy to cover it temporarily. In a pinch, sugar-free chewing gum can serve as a makeshift cover.
Don’t try to tough it out if you experience severe pain or signs of infection like fever, facial swelling, or foul taste and smell. These symptoms need immediate emergency dentistry care.
What to Avoid After You Break a Tooth
When you’re dealing with a broken tooth in New Orleans, knowing what not to do is just as crucial as knowing the right steps. Your actions in those first few hours can make a significant difference in your treatment outcome.
Resist the temptation to chew on the injured side of your mouth. It seems obvious, but in a moment of distraction, you might forget and cause further damage. Stick to soft foods and keep them on the unaffected side of your mouth.
Hot food or ice-cold drinks can trigger shooting pain if the break has exposed the sensitive inner layers of your tooth. Keep food and drinks at moderate temperatures until you see us. Avoid anything hard, crunchy, sticky, or chewy that could cause additional damage or get lodged in the broken area. Soft foods like yogurt, mashed potatoes, smoothies, and lukewarm soups are your best friends.
Don’t try to reattach broken pieces with household superglue or other adhesives. These products are toxic and will harm your tooth and gums.
Another common misconception is that placing aspirin directly on the gum helps with pain. Aspirin is acidic and can burn your gum tissue, creating yet another painful problem to treat. Alcohol-based mouthwashes will cause pain when they contact the exposed area of your broken tooth.
If you’re a smoker, try your best to avoid tobacco products until your tooth is repaired. Smoking impedes healing and increases your risk of infection, potentially complicating your treatment.
How We Treat a Broken Tooth in New Orleans
When you walk into a dental office with a broken tooth in New Orleans, our first priority is assessing the damage. We’ll examine your tooth and take X-rays to see the full extent of the break, checking if it’s affected the pulp (where nerves live) or the root structure.
Based on what he finds, Dr. Canatella will recommend the best treatment path. For minor damage, especially on front teeth, dental bonding often works beautifully. This procedure uses tooth-colored resin that’s carefully applied to the damaged area. Dr. Canatella shapes it to match your natural tooth, and hardens it with a special light.
For more significant breaks, you’ll likely need a dental crown. This custom-made “cap” that fits over your entire tooth. Crowns come in various materials like porcelain, ceramic, metal, or a combination.
Front tooth breaks sometimes call for porcelain veneers, especially when appearance is a major concern. These thin shells cover the front surface of teeth. Veneers create a beautiful and strong restoration.
If your break is deep enough to expose the pulp, a root canal may be necessary. Despite their reputation, modern root canals are comparable to getting a filling in terms of discomfort. The procedure removes damaged pulp, cleans the inside of your tooth, and seals it to prevent infection.
In cases where a tooth is damaged beyond repair, extraction becomes necessary. Dr. Canatella always tries to save natural teeth when possible, but if extraction is needed, he’ll discuss replacement options right away to prevent bone loss and shifting of neighboring teeth.
Treatment timelines vary by procedure. Dental bonding typically wraps up in a single 1-2 hour visit. Traditional crowns usually require two appointments spaced 2-3 weeks apart, while same-day crowns are completed in just one visit. Root canals generally take 1-2 appointments, and extractions are usually performed in one visit, with follow-ups for replacement options.
Can a Broken Tooth Heal on Its Own?
Many patients hope their broken tooth might heal naturally without professional help. Unfortunately, this simply isn’t possible. Unlike bones, teeth cannot regenerate or heal themselves once broken.
This limitation comes from the unique structure of teeth. Enamel, the hard outer layer, is primarily mineral (calcium phosphate) and contains no living cells or blood vessels. Without these essential components for healing, enamel cannot repair itself when chipped or broken.
While teeth can’t heal breaks, they do have a limited ability to remineralize. This process involves minerals like calcium and phosphate from your saliva depositing onto the tooth surface, strengthening weakened areas. However, remineralization only repairs microscopic damage at the molecular level. It can’t restore a physically broken piece of tooth.
Options if the Tooth Cannot Be Saved
When a broken tooth in New Orleans cannot be saved, replacing it becomes crucial. Leaving a gap can lead to shifting teeth, chewing difficulties, speech changes, and jawbone loss.
Dental implants are often the gold standard for tooth replacement. These titanium posts are surgically placed in your jawbone, acting as artificial tooth roots. After they integrate with your bone, they’re topped with crowns that look and function like natural teeth.
Implants offer several advantages: they look and function most like natural teeth, prevent bone loss, don’t affect adjacent teeth, are highly durable, and allow normal eating and speaking.
A dental bridge offers another solution, literally “bridging” the gap created by your missing tooth. It consists of artificial teeth anchored to the natural teeth on either side of the gap. We can also use implants to secure a bridge.
If you have multiple missing teeth, we will recommend dentures. Implants secure a denture for a longer-lasting solution.
If you’re not ready to decide on a permanent replacement immediately, socket preservation offers an interim solution. This procedure places bone graft material in the socket after extraction to prevent bone collapse.
Schedule an Appointment
Don’t wait if you have a broken tooth in New Orleans, LA. Contact Canatella Dental right away. The sooner you receive treatment, the better your chances of saving your natural tooth and avoiding more complex procedures down the road. Call Canatella Dental today at 504-385-1092. You can also book an appointment online.