Introduction
A wisdom tooth can easily break off during a meal or through an accident, especially if it has been damaged by caries. A tooth fracture is when the tooth is broken or splintered in one place due to external influences. Often the rear part of the wisdom tooth breaks off.
In addition, the complete crown of the tooth can also be broken off. A distinction is made between crown and root fractures. In addition, a distinction is made between pure enamel fractures and enamel-dentine fractures, where a nerve canal may have been opened. Since the tooth nerve is then no longer adequately protected, toothache can occur.
These are the immediate measures
If the wisdom tooth is broken, you should first of all remain calm and see where the broken piece is and how much of the tooth is broken. If you have a tooth rescue box at hand, you can put the broken piece in it, otherwise you can store it in any container filled with cool UHT milk. The broken-off piece should be brought to the dentist for later clarification and preferably not be dried out.
If the wisdom tooth is so badly damaged and broken off so deeply that it bleeds, a swab of gauze or a handkerchief will help. Paper handkerchiefs are not well suited because they can be softened and torn by saliva. They then do not provide good wound compression.
In addition, you should be careful not to injure your tongue or cheek, because the tooth can be very sharp and pointed due to the fracture. Afterwards you should visit a dentist for further treatment. If the wisdom tooth breaks at the weekend or on holidays, you should go to a dental emergency service or visit the dental clinic.
Causes
Tooth fractures are often caused by external factors. A wisdom tooth is usually fractured when biting and chewing. A strong bite on hard pieces of food, such as fruit seeds and nutshells, can cause the fracture.
In addition, an accident, such as during sports or a fall, can be the cause of the broken tooth. The fracture occurs as a result of an impact or a strong impact on the tooth and the jawbone. If the wisdom tooth is damaged by caries, the enamel structure is no longer intact and the tooth becomes unstable. In most cases, caries has spread unnoticed below the tooth cusps and has already attacked the dentin. The crown of the tooth is then no longer stable and as resistant as before and can easily break off because there is no hard tooth substance left.