A Front Tooth Fractured by a Fall in Winter: Same-Day Resin Filling Case at Sillim Dental Clinic

Hello,

I’m Park Jeong-gi,

a dentist at Sillim Dental Clinic.

The weather has become much milder,

and with this week as the last, the cold snap should also come to an end. Next week, it seems like a refreshing spring will begin.

As snow has fallen even through March,

a typical winter accident can be dental trauma.

Simply put, it occurs when someone falls

or collides with something,

and the areas most commonly injured are

probably the lips or the teeth.

Among them, especially

the front teeth, which we call the anterior teeth,

are often cracked or broken.

1. Confirming the fractured area

The case I will explain today at Sillim Dental Clinic

is judged to be a tooth fracture caused by trauma

from slipping and falling on an icy winter road.

2025.02.16

If you look closely,

to be exact, it was not the front tooth,

but the lateral incisor right next to the upper right central incisor

that was broken.

2. Not a front tooth, but a lateral incisor?

What you may wonder here is:

why was it not the front tooth,

but the second tooth right next to it that broke?

If you examine the broken area carefully,

you can see that it was in close contact with the lower teeth.

It seems that the area had long been under stress

from repeatedly and strongly contacting the lower teeth,

and then broke due to a strong impact.

3. Confirmation through X-ray examination

When a tooth is broken,

you should not look only at the appearance.

An apical X-ray should be taken to check whether there are any other fractures,

whether the root has a crack,

or whether concussion or subluxation has occurred.

It is necessary to check whether the periodontal ligament

has been stretched by the temporary impact.

If the fracture is extensive

and has reached the pulp,

root canal treatment may be needed,

and an esthetic prosthesis may have to be placed.

In this case,

the X-ray showed no major abnormal findings,

and the fracture was limited to the enamel,

so it was judged that same-day restoration with resin alone would be possible.

4. Same-day resin filling

If restoration with resin is possible,

I think it is important to carefully go through several preparatory steps.

Because of the material’s characteristics,

if there is saliva at the treatment site

or if there is too much moisture in the mouth,

adhesion will decrease,

so the treatment area must be properly isolated before proceeding.

This is necessary so that it can bond firmly

and the risk of detachment can also be reduced.

In addition, care must be taken to ensure that the material does not come into contact with areas other than the one that needs treatment,

and the follow-up check using oral care tools such as dental floss should not be forgotten either.

2025.02.16

It is good to provide treatment while considering differences in shade according to each patient’s age and lifestyle habits.

In this case as well,

it is better to choose a shade similar to the existing tooth color

and restore it accordingly.

Also, if there is an issue where the lower teeth first come into close contact

or press strongly against the area,

this should also be considered,

and detailed bite adjustment should be performed

so that it can be maintained well for a long time.

The front tooth fracture resin treatment explained today at Sillim Dental Clinic

is a method in which light is applied to the tooth to harden the material,

so

(1) it can be done on the same day, (2) it takes about 30 minutes,

and (3) the cost burden is lower than other methods.

However, because it is a procedure that is possible only when the conditions are met,

if even a small fracture occurs,

you should come immediately after the tooth breaks

so that more conservative treatment can be provided, right?

The resin treatment explained today at Sillim Dental Clinic

is the first step for preserving the natural tooth,

so if anyone reading this today has a related problem,

please visit a nearby medical facility for an examination.

Thank you for reading.

This has been Director Park Jeong-gi.

Treatment date: 2025.02.16