Restore Your Smile with Treatment for Tooth Fractures
Tooth fractures can happen to anyone at any time. All it takes is a fall, car accident, sports injury, or even biting something hard to fracture a tooth. Fortunately, fractured teeth can be repaired. There are many restorative dentistry treatments available to treat tooth fractures and restore dental health. To find out which treatment for tooth fractures is right for you, schedule a consultation with Houston, TX dentist Jon Marc Van Slate. One of the following treatments for tooth fractures can restore your smile.
Porcelain Veneers
Porcelain veneers are wafer-thin shells designed to fit over the front surface of the teeth to treat cosmetic imperfections, including minor fractures. Porcelain veneers are custom-made from impressions taken of the teeth. Each veneer is crafted from tooth-colored porcelain to match the patient's surrounding teeth. The veneers are bonded to the teeth using a special dental cement, providing a long lasting improvement for the smile.
Dental Bonding
Dental bonding may also be used to treat minor fractures and other dental imperfections. Rather than using porcelain to enhance the smile, dental bonding treatment uses a soft, malleable, tooth-colored resin. This resin is applied directly to the teeth. It it is shaped and molded to the desired appearance. Once the right look is achieved, the resin is hardened, finely shaped, and polished to create a flawless appearance.
Porcelain Dental Crowns
Teeth damaged by severe dental fractures may be saved from further damage or extraction with porcelain dental crowns. Dental crowns are custom-made restorations designed to completely encase a fractured or otherwise injured tooth. Dental crowns replicate the appearance of a damaged tooth to restore the tooth's strength, health, and appearance.
Onlays
When dental fractures are not severe enough to require a full dental crown, onlays can be placed. Onlays, also called “partial crowns,” are used to repair damage to one or more cusps on the biting surface of the teeth. Onlays are made of porcelain and can help prevent further damage while restoring the tooth's strength and integrity.
Dental Implants
Sometimes tooth fractures are too severe and the damaged tooth can’t be saved. Extraction may be necessary to restore oral health. In such cases, extracted teeth may be replaced with dental implants. Dental implants are screw-like, titanium posts surgically placed within the jaw. Once the jaw heals around the implant, a permanent bond is formed and a dental restoration, such as a crown, may be attached to replace a lost tooth.
Which Treatment Is Right for You?
If you have one or more dental fractures, it's important to seek treatment as soon as possible. Untreated tooth fractures can allow plaque and bacteria into the tooth, increasing the risk of tooth decay and potentially tooth loss. Treating tooth fractures as early as possible can help prevent further damage while also restoring the appearance of the smile. To learn more about your treatment options, we invite you to schedule a consultation with Dr. Van Slate.
