Definition
The canines are the teeth next to the small incisors. They are usually pointed and are also called fangs in the animals. Caries and forces that do not occur under normal conditions (e.g. as a result of trauma) are the most common causes for the breaking off of a canine tooth.
In technical terminology this process is called “fracture“. Often only a piece of the tooth is lost, sometimes the entire crown. The fracture may even extend below the gums. In most cases, the broken piece of tooth can be restored.
Causes
Teeth break off (fracture) when their own stability is not sufficient to withstand external forces. The tooth itself may have become unstable for various reasons. Firstly, caries causes loss of tooth substance by bacteria, which makes the tooth porous and can break more quickly.
Secondly, a tooth also becomes unstable after root canal treatment. In weakened teeth, a small amount of force, for example by chewing hard bread, is enough to make the tooth give way and a crack develops into a fracture. The situation is similar with heavily filled teeth.
Of course, a completely healthy tooth can also break off. However, the force applied to it must be correspondingly high. This happens in case of a fall or a blow on the face. Such accidents usually occur during sports. Damage to the surrounding teeth often occurs.
Diagnosis
The dentist can usually diagnose a broken canine tooth at first sight. Nevertheless, a full anamnesis is performed to learn more about the condition of the tooth and the process that led to the fracture. After the patient interview, the dentist first examines the tooth with his instruments (mirror and probe).
He then carries out a cold test and a knock test. The cold test is used to check the vitality of the tooth. A cold absorbent cotton pellet is held against the tooth and the doctor waits to see how the tooth reacts.
The knock test involves tapping the tooth with an instrument. The doctor wants to find out whether the canine tooth hurts more than the other teeth, which may indicate a periapical inflammation. This is followed by an x-ray to rule out a fracture of the tooth in the non-visible area below the gum line. Finally, the patient can be informed about the further procedure and the treatment can be initiated.