In many dental emergencies, the situation involves trauma to one or more of your teeth. The severity of the damage depends on the emergency, and in severe cases, your tooth may have a large piece broken off of it. Unlike a cosmetic chip in your tooth, having a significant portion of its crown break can put the tooth in serious jeopardy. Fortunately, many patients can save the tooth with an appropriate restoration, such as a porcelain dental crown. Sometimes, though, a tooth may be too damaged to restore, and the best choice for your smile is to extract and replace it.
Repairing and Restoring the Tooth
Because a broken tooth is weaker and more impactful to your bite’s balance, restoring it often requires completely capping the tooth with a custom-designed porcelain crown. The crown is designed according to precise digital measurements of your tooth and those around it, ensuring the most accurate replica of your strong, healthy, and whole tooth. By covering and protecting the tooth, your crown can prevent it from suffering further damage while reestablishing the strength and balance of your bite.
Replacing a Severely Damaged Tooth
While dental crowns can help save many teeth that are severely damaged, some teeth may not have enough visible structure left to cap. Or, the root of the tooth might have been cracked or broken, and because it can’t be restored, the tooth will have to be extracted and replaced. In cases where a tooth becomes unsaveable, the next priority is preserving your bite function and the rest of your oral health. To accomplish that, your dentist may recommend replacing the tooth with a dental implant, which can support your lifelike dental crown in the same way a root supports a healthy tooth. Together, the implant and crown create the most lifelike replacement for your tooth, and therefore, the best solution for restoring your smile.
Learn What to Do if Your Tooth Breaks
If your tooth is broken, then restoring your smile may involve fixing the tooth or extracting and replacing it, depending on the severity of the damage. To learn more, schedule a consultation by calling us in Lake Forest, IL, at 847-234-0517. We also proudly serve residents of Chicago and all surrounding communities in the Chicago Metro area.