My Tooth Broke in Half – What Should I Do?

First and foremost, you need to contact an emergency dentist as early as you can. A tooth that broke in half is a dental emergency and should be handled right away. Even if you don’t have any pain at the moment, you should still reach out for professional help.

The crack or fracture in your tooth can expose the inner soft tissue (pulp) of your tooth and make it vulnerable to infection. So you have to get to a dental clinic without any delay.

It’s going to take some time before you reach the dentist. In the meantime, you should take some steps for damage control.

Stand in front of a mirror and look inside your mouth. Is your broken tooth still in the socket, or do you see that a piece broke off? If a piece has broken off, carefully retrieve it if possible, store it in milk or saliva, and bring it along to your appointment.

You can also feel for any broken pieces with your tongue. Once you’re sure you have removed the piece, use orthodontic wax or sugar-free gum to cover the rough edges of your half-broken tooth.

A tooth suddenly cracking in half is usually quite painful. Take an over-the-counter pain reliever such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen to help with the pain. This will only reduce the pain for a short time, so a dental visit is still necessary.

It’s also possible you may see bleeding or swelling near the tooth, especially if you had a dental injury. In that case, place a gauze right away. Apply pressure until the bleeding stops. You can also apply an icepack to your cheek to help with swelling.

Yes, it’s possible to fix a broken tooth, but it all depends on how badly the tooth is damaged. Your dentist may recommend dental bonding for shallow cracks. If the fracture is deep, they may suggest doing a root canal and placing a crown afterward.

Only in situations where it’s not possible to save the tooth with any measure, dentists suggest tooth extraction.

If you feel that your tooth has cracked in half, you should reach out to an emergency dentist immediately, even if there’s no pain. If you’re located in Hewitt, TX, contact our team at Ace Dental of Hewitt to book a same-day appointment.