If Your Front Tooth Is Chipped? Saving a Natural Tooth with Only a Crown at Sangdo-dong Dental Clinic, Without Root Canal Treatment

Treatment period: 2025.12.09 ~ 2025.12.09

Nice to meet you,

I’m Director Park Jeong-gi from Seoul Remember Dental Clinic in Sangdo-dong.

One day, if your front tooth suddenly chips,

how upsetting would that be?

Whether from eating hard food, a fall,

or teeth grinding during sleep,

the front teeth can fracture more easily than you might think.

Especially since they are the first teeth visible when you smile,

the cosmetic impact is also significant,

so prompt treatment is needed.

Today, at the Sangdo-dong Dental Clinic,

I’ll explain through a real case of tooth #21 fracture

how a natural tooth can be saved.

1. Initial visit

Looking at the photos from the first visit,

it can be seen that the enamel (the outer hard layer)

and part of the inner dentin

had broken away.

Fortunately, it did not appear to extend

into the pulp or root area,

but if left as is, aesthetics would be compromised,

and the exposed dentin could cause tooth sensitivity,

so it would be best to treat it quickly.

2. Different treatment methods depending on the degree of fracture

Front tooth fractures can be broadly divided

into three stages depending on the depth of the damage.

To explain it at the Sangdo-dong Dental Clinic:

① If only the enamel is broken

If only the outermost enamel layer is damaged,

there is almost no pain,

and the shape can be restored on the same day

with a method such as resin restoration.

② If the fracture extends to the enamel + dentin

This is the stage shown in today’s case

at the Sangdo-dong Dental Clinic.

It is accompanied by sensitivity,

and depending on the extent of the fracture and the exact location on the tooth,

resin, an inlay, or crown restoration may be needed.

At this point, whether the pulp has been involved

is checked precisely using X-rays and similar methods,

and then the treatment direction is decided.

③ If the pulp (nerve) is involved

If the pulp inside the natural tooth is damaged,

severe pain occurs.

Root canal treatment (endo) must be performed first,

and if necessary, post placement

and crown restoration are required.

From this point on, it can be said to be a stage

that directly affects the tooth’s lifespan.

3. Same-day resin restoration

To return to the main point

at the Sangdo-dong Dental Clinic,

this case was resolved with crown restoration alone,

without root canal treatment.

The detailed examination showed

that there was a possibility root canal treatment might be needed,

but fortunately, there was no pain or any unusual findings,

so treatment with only a crown was possible.

If root canal treatment had been performed,

the natural tooth would inevitably have become weaker,

and its long-term lifespan would be shortened.

That is why, at the Sangdo-dong Dental Clinic,

if we judge that crown restoration alone

is sufficient,

we aim not to perform unnecessary treatment whenever possible.

If a crown is placed while preserving the nerve,

✔ Blood supply inside the tooth is maintained,

helping keep it strong and healthy.

✔ The risk of discoloration or fracture of the natural tooth is reduced.

✔ Unnecessary steps are eliminated,

reducing the number of visits and the cost.

✔ The tooth’s original sensation can be preserved.

4. Restoring the natural appearance of the front tooth

Looking at the result after crown restoration,

the natural appearance was completed so naturally

that it is almost impossible to distinguish from the original front tooth shape before it broke.

The color, translucency, contour, and length of the incisal edge were all matched harmoniously

with the opposite front tooth,

so there is no awkwardness at all when smiling.

In addition, at the Sangdo-dong Dental Clinic,

scaling was also performed,

removing tartar and stains

and further improving overall oral hygiene.

Even if a front tooth is chipped,

if root canal treatment is not necessary,

there is no need to do it unconditionally.

If the tooth can be covered with a prosthetic restoration

and protected for use,

the less it is touched, the better.

I will continue to work toward

accurate diagnosis,

preservation of natural teeth,

and treatment that restores a beautiful appearance.

That’s all for today.

This has been Park Jeong-gi, Director of Seoul Remember Dental Clinic in Sangdo-dong.