When a molar breaks, the outcome and necessary treatment depend heavily on the severity and location of the damage.
Potential Outcomes and Treatments
Based on the nature of the break, your dentist will assess the best course of action to repair or address the damaged tooth. Here are the primary possibilities:
- Bonding Fragments: If you are able to find and preserve the pieces of your broken tooth, your dentist may be able to bond it back together. This is often possible when the break is clean and the fragments are intact.
- Repairing Extensive Damage Above the Gum Line: For more complex breaks that don't involve fragments or where bonding isn't feasible but the damage is still above the gum line, the tooth might still be fixable. In some cases, your dentist might have to recontour your bone with a procedure called a crown lengthening to be able to fix your broken tooth. This procedure helps expose more of the tooth structure above the gum line, providing enough surface area to support a restoration like a crown.
- Extraction: Unfortunately, if the damage is severe and extends below your gum line, it will likely need to be extracted. Damage beneath the gum line makes it difficult or impossible to restore the tooth effectively and maintain its long-term health.
| Scenario | Potential Treatment(s) | Key Factor |
|---|---|---|
| Fragments found & intact | Bonding the fragments back | Ability to recover fragments; type of break |
| Damage above gum line (complex) | Fixing the tooth, potentially with crown lengthening | Extent of damage; feasibility of restoration |
| Damage extends below gum line | Extraction | Location and depth of the break |
In summary, a broken molar can potentially be repaired by bonding fragments or undergoing procedures like crown lengthening to prepare the tooth for restoration. However, if the damage is too deep, especially below the gum line, extraction becomes the most likely solution.
