Help, broken tooth - unsure of what dentist will do?

I need some help. I have two teeth that seem to be broke in the back of my mouth. One on the lower right side, and one on my upper left side and no they%26#039;re not my wisdom teeth. Anyway, half of the side of them are broken off, so its really only half a tooth. Lately I think I%26#039;ve been getting food stuck in them or whatever because it seems that I keep getting abscesses and to be honest I%26#039;m really sick of it. They never were a problem until this past Fall season. Normally I never had any pain from my teeth, especially those too. But so far since the Fall I%26#039;ve had 3 abscesses on my gums. Two in the same spot on the right side and one on the left side, now I%26#039;m finally debating on going to a dentist and I%26#039;m not really sure what they would do. Would they pull them? Or are there other answers? I think the reason as to why I%26#039;ve been holding off going to the dentist because I really am kind of afraid of dentists. So what do I do? Any help would be greatly appreciated! :) Thanks!

Help, broken tooth - unsure of what dentist will do?
I had this happen as well, and decided to visit the dentist for the first time in years. He explained that the reason the tooth had broken is because it was decaying. I had a root canal procedure done that day. They numb the area so you don%26#039;t feel any pain. After they complete the root canal, they put a crown, or fake tooth, on and you are good to go. This was my experience, and I thought the symptom sounded quite similar to yours.





My advice would be to make an appointment with a dentist, so as to prevent any further decay or damage to your teeth.





Best wishes and take care!
Reply:a dentist will probably put a cap over it, the back teeth are hard to do anything with so be prepred for some pain.





Speak to a dentist and discuss your options,











%26lt;3 xoxoxox
Reply:Sounds like you are needing a root canal, they will remove the tooth and put a nice new fake one in its place, and be prepared to spend in excess of $1000 per tooth. You really need to get it taken care of. Dosent your breath smell bad?
Reply:i had the same problem as you! i left it and left as i am petrified of the dentist, eventually i was in so much pain with infection and an abscess that i had nooo choice but to go and they gave me antibiotics and then made an appointment to have it out. i asked for sedation when i had my tooth out, as they dont put you to sleep anymore, well not in the uk anyway. they gave me valium to make feel calm. and it was great all over within a few seconds. and the valium was really nice lol. i wouldnt worry if you are in the uk, ask your dentist to sedate you, as you are so nervous. good luck.





oh and it cost me 35quid
Reply:What You Can Do





Fractured Teeth


There is no way to treat fractured teeth at home. You need to see your dentist whenever a tooth is sensitive to changes in temperature or if it hurts while you%26#039;re eating. Pain that%26#039;s constant is a serious warning sign because it may mean that a fracture has damaged the nerve and live tissues inside the tooth.





Broken Teeth


You%26#039;ll want to see your dentist as soon as possible. Your dentist will need to determine if the break was caused by decay and if the nerve is in danger. Adults with a damaged nerve usually will require root canal treatment, but in children, there%26#039;s a possibility the nerve can be saved if the dentist is able to treat the problem immediately.





In the meantime:








Save the pieces. If the break was relatively clean, your dentist may be able to cement the tooth back together as a temporary measure.


Rinse your mouth well with warm water. If you were able to save the tooth fragment(s), rinse them under running water.


If an area is bleeding, apply a piece of gauze to the area for about 10 minutes or until the bleeding stops.


Apply a cold compress to the cheek or lips over the broken tooth. This will help reduce swelling and relieve pain.


If you can%26#039;t get to your dentist right away, cover the broken surface of the tooth that is in your mouth with temporary dental cement, available in pharmacies.


Take an over-the-counter pain reliever.


What Your Dentist Will Do





Fractured Teeth


There are several types of tooth fractures, each of which requires different treatments. These include:








Minor cracks — Also called %26quot;craze lines,%26quot; these are superficial fractures that affect only the tooth%26#039;s enamel, the outer white part of the tooth. Minor cracks rarely need treatment. However, your dentist may lightly polish the area to smooth out any rough spots.





Chips — Minor chips don%26#039;t always need treatment, although your dentist may recommend repairing the damage with filling material to prevent it from getting worse or to make the tooth look better. If the chip is in the front of the mouth, your dentist probably will use a tooth-colored filling. Often, if the chip is very small, your dentist may lightly sand the area to smooth out any rough spots.





Cusp fractures — These affect the pointed chewing surfaces (the cusps) of the teeth. They usually do not affect the pulp and are unlikely to cause significant pain. They may interfere with normal chewing, however, so your dentist may need to repair the damage. Minor cusp fractures sometimes are repaired by filing the surfaces of the tooth to restore the shape of the tooth. Frequently, these fractures will require an onlay or crown, in which the tooth is covered with a metal or porcelain material.





Serious fractures — These are fractures of the teeth that are deep enough to expose the nerve tissue. Usually, the broken part of the tooth will bleed. They almost always cause the tooth to hurt and be sensitive. This type of fracture will require root canal treatment to remove the exposed nerve. A crown likely will be needed to restore the tooth.





Cracked tooth — This type of fracture involves the whole tooth, from the chewing surface all the way down toward the nerve. However, in this type of fracture the two pieces have not come apart. This type of crack is similar to a crack that may form in an automobile windshield; the pieces remain in place, but the crack gradually spreads. Cracks can sometimes be repaired with filling material, although the tooth often will need a crown to prevent the crack from getting worse. If the pulp (nerve and other live tissues) is damaged, you may need a root canal as well.





Split tooth — This means that the tooth has split vertically into two separate parts. Some teeth, such as your back teeth (molars), have more than one root. It may be possible to keep one of the roots, which will then be covered with a crown. First, root canal treatment will be needed. Second, the root or roots that will not be kept are removed with a minor surgical procedure. Third, a crown will be made to cover the root and replace the tooth. Often, however, the tooth will have to be extracted.





Vertical tooth fractures or split root — These are cracks that start in the root of the tooth and extend upward toward the chewing surface. Vertical tooth fractures are often painful because the tissues surrounding the root may be inflamed or infected. In most cases, the tooth will have to be removed.





Decay-induced fracture — In this case, the tooth has fractured or crumbled because a cavity weakened the tooth from the inside out. Your dentist will evaluate the cavity and recommend the best way to restore the tooth.


Broken Teeth


There are many possible treatments for broken teeth, depending on the severity of the break.





If the break affected only the outer part of the tooth (the enamel), your dentist may be able to repair the damage with a filling. If the tooth is in the front of the mouth, your dentist probably will use a composite (tooth-colored) filling.





A more serious break will involve the enamel as well as the inner layer of the tooth (the dentin). In some cases, the damage can be repaired with a filling, but often the tooth will need a crown.





The most serious breaks are those that damage the nerve. In addition to making and placing a crown, your dentist probably will need to do root canal treatment to remove the damaged nerve and blood vessels.





Some fractures will require periodontal surgery before a crown can be placed. If the facture is below the gum line, close to or below the bone holding the tooth in the jaw, periodontal surgery will be needed to remove some bone to create enough room to place the crown over the root properly.
Reply:I don%26#039;t know where you are located but in the United States there is a dentist referral service that can put you in touch with a dentist who specializes in patients that are afraid of dentists. Call 1-800-DENTIST. They will put you in touch with a dentist that can fix your problem well dealing with your fears.
Reply:you have some bad teeth that need attention-best thing to do go to dentist.The infections will sooner or later work its way down to the root kill the tooth and they will have to pull them-right now they might be able to do a crown.You fears of dentists is normal don%26#039;t worry vast majority of the time you only feel the initial needle and that%26#039;s it.Depending on how much money you have or willing to spend you could always just let them pull them seeing how they way in the back no one would see them gone.
Reply:Similar problem RIGHT NOW. I have two %26#039;broken%26#039; teeth both on the left side of my mouth. Both back teeth but not wisdom teeth. I was getting things stuck in the top one and lately it started to hurt when I had sugary things, or things that were hot or cold. Even swishing around Listerene would hurt until it became mouth temperature. I went to the dentist. I hadn%26#039;t been in about 10+ years. He told me I needed to have a root canal for each and a crown on each. I also have a level of gum disease so I need to have gum work too. I just had my first root canal on Thursday. The actual root canal was fine but I%26#039;m experiencing discomfort now. I%26#039;m pretty sore in that tooth area. I couldn%26#039;t afford to do it all at once so I will be getting my crown soon. I%26#039;m pretty sure you%26#039;ll require the same.



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