Can a Damaged Tooth Heal By Itself?
Bones and other structures in the body can heal themselves naturally over time with proper therapeutic care, but what about teeth?
While some lost enamel may be rebuilt with a good diet and good oral hygiene practices, a decayed, chipped or fractured tooth isn’t able to heal itself naturally and needs professional care.
If you need to see a dentist in Mosman about a damaged tooth, book an appointment at Mosman 3D Dental today.
What is remineralisation?
Some superficial damage to teeth may be repaired over time through the process of remineralisation. This happens when beneficial minerals in food and saliva are absorbed by the tooth and restore some of the lost enamel.
To support the remineralisation process, it’s important to follow a healthy, balanced diet, maintain good oral hygiene and cut down on sugar that leads to tooth decay. However, this process can’t repair more severe tooth damage.
Why can’t teeth heal naturally?
The main difference between teeth and bones when it comes to healing is that bones contain blood vessels that supply oxygen and nutrients to their tissues, while tooth enamel doesn’t. This means a tooth is unable to heal itself naturally after damage or decay.
Damage to teeth is likely to worsen over time, if decay continues or the tooth has become weakened and prone to further injury. Only a dental professional can repair damaged teeth and restore them to good working order.
How is tooth damage treated?
The treatment your dentist recommends will depend on the type of damage your tooth has and how severe it is. The first step is a comprehensive assessment of your mouth so your dentist can see the extent of the damage, identify any related problems and start to plan your treatment. This may involve:
- Dental bonding to repair smaller cracks or cover up blemishes
- Placing a white filling in a cavity after removing decayed tissue
- Placing a dental crown over a tooth to rebuild a chipped tooth or protect a cracked tooth
- Root canal therapy to remove an infection from inside a tooth and replace the damaged tissue
Does a damaged tooth always need treatment?
Even though a chipped or cracked tooth can’t heal by itself, it might not always need treatment. If there is only minor damage, and it’s not causing a problem or affecting your appearance, treatment may not be strictly necessary.
It’s still important to see a dentist after injuring a tooth, however, as not all dental problems have obvious symptoms, and the damage could be worse than you realise. Your dentist will usually need to take an x-ray to determine how serious the damage is and whether the tooth is likely to cause pain or other problems in the future.
If part of your tooth breaks off, or a dental injury is causing pain, sensitivity or other symptoms like bleeding, you should call an emergency dentist for advice and to book an appointment.
Talk to a Mosman dentist today
Do you need to see a professional about a damaged tooth? Contact our team at Mosman 3D Dental or call our emergency dentists on (02) 9969 8610 if you need more urgent care.