What to Do with a Broken Molar Tooth?

What to do with a broken molar tooth? What are the possible solutions for a broken molar? Why do they break? What causes them? What to do in an emergency? And finally, what to do with a broken molar while waiting for an appointment at the dentist?

I. Why Do Molars Often Break?

All teeth can break. However, molars are among the teeth most likely to break.

Molars often break because they are under a lot of stress in the mouth. They are vulnerable teeth because molars work the hardest during the chewing process.

Over time, this can cause them to become brittle and fracture.

II. Possible Causes of Broken Molars

There are several reasons why molars can break.

Certain habits can make molars brittle and break them. One example is bruxism, which is grinding your teeth.

You can also break your molars because of poorly treated tooth decay, of course. Bacteria can eventually weaken the molars and cause them to break.

There are also causes such as trauma. A fall while riding a bike, an accident, or biting into something too hard can cause a molar to break. You can have a broken tooth while eating.

A molar can also break shortly after you visit the dentist. Generally, after dental care, teeth become more fragile.

III. Tooth that Breaks, the Right Reflexes?

You must have the right reflexes when your tooth has just broken. Contrary to what many people think, it is not always necessary to pull out a broken tooth.

The first thing to do is to recover the broken piece of your tooth. Sometimes a tooth can be glued back together.

To best preserve the piece, you can put it in a small container with saliva or milk.

You can also store your tooth in a plastic or synthetic film.

Be careful not to put the piece of tooth in contact with water or paper.

Once you have done this, call your dentist. Only he or she can tell you what to do.

IV. What to Do with a Broken Molar Tooth?

1. Unaffected Pulp

a) Regluing the Fragment of the Broken Tooth:

It is possible to repair a broken tooth. However, the break must be superficial and the pulp must not have been affected.

In this case, your dentist will be able to glue your piece of the tooth back together.

b) Repairing the Tooth with a Synthetic Fragment:

Another way to repair your broken tooth, especially if you did not keep the loose piece, is to use a synthetic fragment.

The dentist can use a particularly strong resin, which is very suitable for broken molars.

2. Affected Pulp

If the pulp is affected, then bonding the tooth is no longer an option. When the pulp of the tooth is affected, it is necessary to devitalize your tooth.

An inlay or a dental crown is then placed to protect the devitalized tooth. This is also an option if you have a broken root canal.

3. Affected Root

a) Fixed Dental Bridge:

If your broken tooth’s root was affected during the impact, then placing a fixed dental bridge is an option.

Also known as a bridge, a dental bridge allows you to insert a prosthesis over the damaged tooth, supported by the teeth on either side of it.

A fixed dental bridge is a less expensive way to deal with a broken tooth.

Although it can be painful and uncomfortable to bear, the bridge can also be removed at any time.

b) Removable Prosthesis:

The removable prosthesis can be complete or partial. The complete removable prosthesis is the denture, which is used to replace all the teeth of a mouth.

The partial removable prosthesis is used to replace some teeth. The removable prosthesis is a plate made of resin and applied to the mouth.

Its size depends on the number of teeth it replaces. It rests on the remaining teeth and fills in the spaces of the missing teeth.

c) Dental Implant:

The dental implant allows for the complete replacement of a tooth by inserting a titanium root directly into the gum bone. It is an artificial and medical device made of titanium or zirconium, which plays the role of the missing tooth, without risk to the healthy teeth around.

V. Other questions about broken molar Tooth

1. What Should I Do with a Broken Molar While Waiting for my Dental Appointment?

If you have just broken your molar, keep the tip in a container with some milk or saliva.

And if the broken molar is painless, then you don’t need to take a painkiller. If you feel the crack of the tooth in your mouth, be careful not to eat from that side.

Until you see your dentist, keep your tooth intact.

2. Does a Broken Tooth Need a Root Canal?

It is not necessarily necessary to have a root canal for a broken tooth. A root canal is only necessary if the pulp is affected and cannot be repaired.

In this case, the dentist will decide to devitalize your tooth, and probably place a crown, to protect it.

3. Broken Tooth in a Baby: What to Do?

A broken tooth in a baby is not necessarily dramatic. This kind of trauma is quite frequent.

It is important to notice if the broken tooth is painful for the child. If it is not, there is no reason to go to your dentist urgently.

However, make an appointment with your dentist to make sure there is nothing serious.

4. Cost of a Broken Tooth Repair

Regluing (reattaching) a tooth fragment can cost between $200 and $500. The devitalization of a molar can cost about $800.

The price of a dental crown depends on the type of crown. If the crown is made of nickel or chrome, it can cost between $800 and $1500. If the crown is made of ceramic, it will be worth between $800 and $3000 and if it is made of ceramic-metal, it will be worth between $500 and $1500.

5. Is it Serious to Have a Broken Tooth?

A broken tooth is not necessarily serious, but you will only know for sure once you have consulted a dentist.

Often a tooth breaks because an undiagnosed cavity has weakened it. It is important to make an appointment with your dentist when you have a broken tooth.