Broken Wisdom Tooth Treatment Options

When you break a tooth (not wisdom), you should get some X-rays from your dentist so they're able to assess your situation better. Typically, a repair is the route taken, and a filling is the solution. However, substantial breaks may require a crown. A crown provides more stability and prevents future cracks, according to the American Dental Association. It's also possible more acute breaks involving the tooth's nerve and blood vessel may require a root canal before the crown.

Need words of wisdom on wisdom teeth? Here's a basic breakdown of your third molars, aka wisdom teeth:

• Appear during your late teens to early 20s
• Located in the back of your mouth — they're your very last molars
• Often impacted, that is there's not enough room to come in
• 9 out of 10 people have had at least one impacted wisdom tooth
• Some dentists suggest wisdom tooth removal to avoid complications that could arise in the future

You broke your wisdom tooth. Now what? Well, your dentist most likely would say removal is the best option. Scenarios for removing one or all of your wisdom teeth include:

• Impacted and not helping your ability to chew
• Not positioned properly
• Interfering with your bite
• Putting you at risk for gum disease or decay

Sometimes though, repairing your broken or cracked wisdom tooth with a crown or filling is best. If there aren't any complications and it helps your chewing, removal can wait.