A half-broken molar tooth can make life quite difficult, with a common experience being pain, soreness, and throbbing in the tooth. A break can be minor or a complete fracture that separates the tooth into two halves. Regardless, a broken tooth requires immediate attention. In this article, we’ll discuss what can cause a molar tooth to break in half. Next, we’ll talk about some of the most effective treatment options available to treat it.
Half-Broken Molar Tooth: What Causes It To Break?
Tooth enamel, which composes the outermost layer of the tooth, is harder than steel and exceptionally durable. It allows the tooth to perform its duties effectively within the mouth while you chew and eat. However, it is quite brittle, and it’s not uncommon for teeth to crack, fracture or break when subjected to significant stress.
These stresses can come in many forms, such as accidental facial trauma, injury, or biting down on something too hard. Examples include hard candy or ice. Teeth are designed to bite, but an uncommonly hard material coupled with the force of the jaw can break them. But also, if you’re prone to grinding your teeth when you sleep (bruxism), you can wear them down faster.
Tooth decay and cavities can also cause teeth to wear down faster. If you regularly consume sweet, sticky, or acidic foods, it creates an environment that can weaken tooth enamel.
How To Treat a Half Broken Molar Tooth
The only way to properly treat a half-broken molar tooth is to see a dentist. They possess the expertise, necessary tools, and the sanitary environment to disinfect and reconstruct your tooth.
It’s sometimes possible for dentists to reattach the broken tooth and restore it to its original condition. They use a bonding agent to cement the two halves together tightly. However, a deeply fractured molar may not always be salvageable, and you might need a crown or filling. If the dentist cannot save the tooth, you might require a root canal to remove the living tissues inside the tooth.
Finally, in the case of severely damaged or infected teeth, you would likely require a tooth extraction. In the lost tooth’s place, the dentist can install a dental implant and an artificial tooth.
What Happens If You Delay Treatment
Each tooth is a living part of the body, full of nerves and blood vessels. Oral bacteria, food debris, and other particles can find their way into the tooth and infect it. This can lead to a tooth abscess, nerve damage, and even tooth infection. Ultimately, you can lose the tooth entirely, and the infection can spread to the surrounding teeth and even your jaw bone. That’s why you should always remember that any crack, fracture, or break in a tooth needs immediate treatment from a qualified dentist.
At Katy Cypress Oral Surgery, our significant experience in oral surgery has led us to adopt the best practices for delivering the best dental care to our patients. And if you have any questions or concerns, our dedicated dental team will be happy to help. So, feel free to give us a call at (281) 667-0607, and we’d love to see you.
We look forward to scheduling your appointment with us. See firsthand the difference that a skilled, compassionate team can make.