What Should I Do About a Molar That Broke Off at the Gum Line?

Breaking a tooth is alarming and often very painful. It can be hard to stay calm, especially if your child’s molar broke off at the gum line. With severe tooth breaks, response time is everything. Getting professional treatment as soon as possible is vital to prevent the injury from worsening.

Why It’s an Emergency When a Tooth Breaks Off at the Gum Line

Any crack or chip in a tooth can cause soreness due to the delicate nerves being exposed.

But a tooth break at the gum line can lead to worse problems. Germs can get into the unprotected area inside the tooth and cause infection in the jawbone and nerves.

What’s the Treatment for a Molar Broke Off at Gum Line?

How we treat a molar broken off at the gum line depends significantly on whether it’s a permanent or a baby tooth and how soon you get to us. Waiting even a day or two can lead to decay. A break in a permanent tooth that exposes the yellowish dentin or pink root inside will require a crown, which can be made of metal, ceramic, porcelain, or resin. Any decay or damaged nerves must be cleaned out via a root canal before implants or crowns can be applied.

What If It’s a Baby Tooth?

If a baby molar broke off at the gum line, it may or may not be a big deal. If the tooth will come out soon anyway, and your child is not in much pain, the main thing is to prevent infection. Your dentist can extract what’s left and apply something to ease the pain and stop the bleeding.

The gum will then heal over the socket. When the permanent tooth grows in, it will be painful as it breaks through the gum, but there shouldn’t be any lasting consequences beyond that.

If your child is still very young and it will be a while before they get their permanent teeth, your dentist will repair their broken tooth as if they were a permanent tooth. The crown will then pop out as the new tooth pushes up.

What Do Before Going to the Dentist

If your child has a molar broken off at the gum line, it’s probably painful. Please give them a cold compress to help with swelling. Please read the instructions for pain medication carefully, and do not exceed the dose for a child of their age.

Follow-Up Treatment

Be sure to continue managing your child’s pain. Antibiotics are often advisable to prevent infection while the tooth is healing. It is vital to complete the entire course of antibiotics to prevent bacteria from developing resistance.

Final Thoughts

A broken tooth is painful and often scary. Having the injury checked out by a dentist as soon as possible is the best way to protect that smile and ensure a quick and smooth healing process.