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Repairing Your Broken Tooth with a Dental Implant

A broken tooth doesn’t have to stop you from smiling!

Repairing a Broken Tooth

A dental implant can give you a strong, stable — and permanent — replacement tooth that is virtually identical to your natural teeth. An implant looks, feels, fits and functions just a like real tooth.

And it can restore your healthy, beautiful smile in no time.

Is Extraction Necessary for Your Broken Tooth?

Depending on the circumstances, we may be able to save your broken tooth.

If so, a cosmetic filling may restore the look and function of a broken tooth. This only works, however, if the enamel, or outer part of the tooth, is the only layer affected. If the inner layer, or dentin, has been chipped, we may suggest that a crown instead.

For breaks that involve damage to the nerves, a root canal may be necessary prior to placing the filling or crown.

Unfortunately, repairing the natural tooth is not always possible.

Fractures often extend far below the gum line, and even a microscopic crack in the root generally means that the tooth cannot be preserved. In that case, extraction is often recommended to avoid future complications.

When extraction is necessary, a dental implant is the most effective — and attractive — way to replace the missing tooth.

How Does a Dental Implant Work?

A dental implant is essentially a replacement root, on which an artificial tooth restoration is mounted.

Whenever possible, we recommend beginning the first phase of the implant procedure as soon as the broken tooth is extracted. This starts with placing a titanium screw into the jawbone at the extraction site. If you have bone loss in the jaw, however, it may be necessary to have a graft, or a transplant of bone tissue, before the screw can be implanted.

After several weeks of healing, a small metal connector post, called an abutment, is attached to the implant post. A new replacement crown, matched to the size, shape and color of the natural teeth, is then secured to the abutment.

Are You a Candidate for an Immediate Dental Implant?

If you have adequate bone tissue in your jaw to create a solid base for the titanium replacement root, you may be able to take advantage of the same-day implant.

With the Teeth in a Day® procedure, the broken tooth can be extracted, the root implant can be placed and a temporary crown can be attached — all in one office visit. Then, approximately one month later, the permanent crown can be affixed.

Teeth in a Day® is one of the latest dental techniques for replacing missing or broken teeth, and it is effective and appropriate for most of our patients.

If one of your teeth breaks, contact Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery of Utah as quickly as possible. Serving the greater Salt Lake City area, our experienced oral surgeons can take fast action to save or restore your tooth as quickly and effectively as possible.

Contact us today to learn more, and don’t let a broken tooth dim your beautiful smile.

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