Breaking a tooth is a distressing experience, and consulting a dentist as soon as possible is essential. Liverpool Smile Studio offers a number of ways to restore teeth that have been broken or damaged, and your dentist will work hard to create a realistic-looking restoration.
Sometimes it is possible for a dentist to put the tooth fragments back together using a technique called composite bonding. This involves the use of white filling material – which your Liverpool dentist will match to the natural shade of your teeth – to hold the fragments together and bond them back into place. Therefore, you should always bring broken pieces of tooth with you to Liverpool Smile Studio, if you still have them.
Even when you don’t have the tooth fragments or it is not possible for your dentist to bind them together, composite bonding can sometimes be used to rebuild your tooth and create a realistic appearance. This may be suitable for front teeth, and usually requires just one appointment at Liverpool Smile Studio.
White fillings are also commonly used to rebuild damaged or broken teeth. If decay has weakened a tooth and led to pieces breaking off, your Liverpool dentist can remove the areas of decay before restoring your tooth with a tooth-coloured filling.
In cases where extra strength is required, your dentist may recommend an inlay. These are usually made from porcelain, and will be matched to both the colour and contours of the affected tooth, creating a highly realistic-looking result which will also be more strong and durable than a white filling.
Crowns are commonly used when a tooth has been severely weakened. This can happen after a bad break, can be caused by untreated decay, or after root canal treatment. There are a variety of materials that can be used, but porcelain is often the most popular choice because it can be matched to the natural colour of your tooth at the same time as being very strong.
In cases of minor damage to a front tooth, your Liverpool dentist may recommend a porcelain veneer, which is a thin shell of medical-grade porcelain placed over a tooth.