A cracked or broken tooth is rarely convenient, and it’s natural to hope that a filling, crown, or root canal will be enough to fix it. Often, a broken tooth can be repaired. However, when the damage runs deeper than what a restoration can address, the tooth cannot be saved. What comes after a dentist has told you that your tooth is too damaged to repair? Extraction. A tooth extraction doesn’t have to be a daunting, scary procedure. Instead, a tooth extraction after a broken tooth is a protective measure that safeguards your oral structures from damage and infection.
Understanding when a tooth has passed the point of repair and what happens after that can take a lot of the anxiety out of an already stressful situation. Our Austin board-certified oral surgeons want you to know exactly what to expect so you can make a confident, informed decision about your oral health.
Why Can’t Every Broken Tooth Be Saved?
Teeth are remarkably durable, but they aren’t indestructible. A crack or break that stays above the gumline and away from the tooth’s nerve can often be treated with a crown, bonding, or a root canal followed by a crown. Once the damage extends below the gumline, splits the root, or destroys too much of the healthy tooth structure to support a restoration, though, there simply isn’t enough of the tooth left to rebuild.
The location, depth, and direction of the break all factor into whether a tooth can be repaired. A vertical crack that travels down through the root, for example, tends to be much harder to treat than a chip on the biting surface, because it compromises the structural integrity of the entire tooth.
How Can You Tell a Broken Tooth May Be Beyond Repair?
It isn’t always obvious from the outside how serious a broken tooth really is. You should watch for:
- A crack that extends below the gumline or into the root
- Sharp or lingering pain when biting down or releasing pressure
- A tooth that feels loose or shifts when you touch it
- Visible fracture lines running vertically down the tooth
- Large portions of the tooth missing after the break
- A previous root canal or large filling that has failed
If you notice any of these signs, you should reach out to your dentist immediately for an urgent appointment. The sooner a damaged tooth is assessed, the more options you are likely to have.
What Are Warning Signs You Shouldn’t Ignore?
A broken tooth can become an urgent problem if the crack allows bacteria to reach the inner pulp or the surrounding bone. Contact your dentist or an oral surgeon promptly if you experience:
- Swelling in the face, jaw, or gum tissue near the broken tooth
- A fever along with tooth or jaw pain
- Pus or a foul taste coming from around the tooth
- Throbbing pain that doesn’t respond to over-the-counter pain relievers
- Difficulty opening your mouth fully or swallowing comfortably
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, please call your dentist or our office for an urgent appointment. Please do not go to the emergency room for a dental concern, as they are not equipped to treat the issue properly.
What Happens If You Wait to Treat a Severely Damaged Tooth?
It’s tempting to put off dealing with a broken tooth, especially if the pain comes and goes. However, a tooth that’s too damaged to repair won’t heal on its own, and waiting typically makes things worse rather than better. Over time, an unrepaired broken tooth can:
- Allow infection to spread into the surrounding gum tissue or bone
- Lead to an abscess that requires urgent, more invasive treatment
- Cause the remaining tooth structure to break down further
- Put added strain on neighboring teeth as you avoid chewing on that side
- Result in bone loss in the area, complicating future tooth replacement
Addressing a severely broken tooth as soon as possible will almost always yield a less invasive, less disruptive procedure, not to mention dramatically mitigating the risks of a spreading infection. Waiting to treat a severely damaged tooth puts you at risk and makes the situation more uncomfortable.
What Are My Options When a Tooth Can’t Be Repaired?
Teeth that cannot be restored need to be removed and replaced. While that can sound daunting, removing a tooth that can’t be saved actually protects the rest of your mouth from infection, bone loss, and further complications.
Removing the broken tooth is the first step. Following extraction, you should replace the tooth to prevent bone loss, facial changes, and teeth moving to fill in the gap, which can cause bite changes, tooth decay, and tooth damage.
Once the area has healed from the extraction, most patients choose to replace the missing tooth with a dental implant, which restores the ability to bite and chew normally and helps preserve the jawbone in that area. Depending on the extent of the damage, your oral surgeon may also recommend a bone graft at the time of extraction to prepare the site for a future implant.
When Should You See an Oral Surgeon About a Broken Tooth?
Any broken tooth should be evaluated by your dentist or an oral surgeon as soon as you notice it. That said, you don’t always necessarily need to see an oral surgeon right away. Once your dentist has evaluated the break or crack, they may give you a referral to an oral surgeon they trust.
You should not wait for pain to become unbearable before having a broken tooth evaluated. If a crack or chip is deep, painful, or simply isn’t improving, scheduling a consultation gives you clarity about your options while they’re still as conservative as possible.
Don’t wait for a complex, emergent situation. The sooner a severely damaged tooth is evaluated, the more likely you are to preserve your comfort, your smile, and the health of the surrounding teeth. Our board-certified oral surgeons serve patients throughout Austin and Buda, TX, and can help you understand exactly what you need to preserve your long-term oral health.
To find out whether your broken tooth can be saved, you can call Hill Country Oral Surgery at 512-327-7233 or contact us online to request a consultation today!
