Depending on the severity, a broken tooth may leave a significant gap in your smile. If the majority of the tooth has broken clean off, the damage may be very apparent. Similarly, if more than one tooth is affected, multiple broken teeth can have a significant impact on your appearance.

However, a cracked tooth or a chipped tooth is also considered to be broken. Whilst this may not be as noticeable, it could still cause problems in the long-term and requires appropriate treatment.

Trauma to the tooth may cause it to break or chip, so an accident or injury could easily result in damage to your teeth. However, something as simple as biting down on a piece of hard food could cause a tooth to break. Similarly, if you have extensive decay in or around a tooth, it may be more vulnerable to breakages.

Broken teeth can be repaired and restored using a variety of treatments, including crowns, bridges, implants and veneers. The appropriate treatment will depend on the severity of the break, how many teeth are affected, and which area of the mouth has suffered damage.

Once a tooth is broken, it’s more likely to suffer additional breaks and splitting. This could lead to the root of the tooth being exposed, which could cause considerable pain. In some cases, untreated damaged teeth could require root canal surgery or even extraction.