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Treatment Options for Injuries to the Teeth

The tooth can be fractured in any number of ways. The tooth can be fractured or broken through trauma or through deep decay. The tooth fracture can also be caused by a deep injury to the teeth or gums.

When a deep fracture occurs to a tooth, the tooth must be repaired. Usually this is done by a crown or an inlay to restore comfort or function. The obstacles that dentists face with these fractures can come from many different problems:

  • Often the loss of tooth structure extends underneath the gum line.
  • Sometimes the break is so deep it makes it difficult to attach a conventional crown.
  • The fracture may be so deep it runs down to the bone itself. This can lead to difficulties with positioning the crown, gum puffiness, redness and tenderness.

When these conditions occur, a specialist in crown lengthening is often called upon to help the dental health provider build-up and lengthen the “platform” to improve the surface to better situate the crown.

Dr. McClenahan will perform a procedure to expose more tooth structure and to better position the gums. Six to eight weeks after the procedure an accurate impression may be made for a crown.

North Suburban Periodontics has performed thousands of these procedures from their Libertyville, Illinois and Lake Forest, Illinois offices. We are often referred by your general dental provider, or you. In cases where your provider does not normally refer to our practice it is your right as a patient to ask your general dental provider to specifically refer us.