What to Do When Your Tooth Is Cracked
Whether it happened when you least expected it or you knew full well you shouldn’t have bitten down on that piece of ice, cracking your tooth is not fun. Fortunately, our Washington, MI, dentists are here to help restore your smile.
Here are the symptoms and possible treatment options our dentists may suggest for cracked teeth.
Signs You Have a Cracked Tooth
For many, the biggest indication that your tooth has cracked is sudden pain when biting or chewing. This can happen especially when you ease up on the bite or expose the tooth to cold, heat, or extreme sweetness.
Discomfort from a can also appear at random and cease soon after it starts. When this happens, our team of dentists may need to investigate deeper with X-rays as it can otherwise prove difficult to locate the damaged tooth. Upon examination, it’s possible we may also find gum swelling around the affected area.
If you’re experiencing any intense tooth pain, we urge you to call our Washington, MI, dental office. Ignoring a dental emergency can result in worse complications down the road.
The Way Your Tooth Cracked Is Important
can materialize in a few different ways and how your tooth has cracked will influence the type of treatment chosen. Already mentioned above, patients often find that they have cracked teeth after snacking on hard foods like nuts, candy, or popcorn with kernels.
Other causes of a cracked tooth include:
- Grinding or clenching teeth
- Large fillings that weaken the natural tooth structure
- Dental injury, i.e., getting hit in the mouth while playing sports
- General wear and tear as you age
- Sudden temperature changes in the mouth
As soon as you visit our dentists, we can examine your tooth and see how it has cracked. If you have “craze lines” or small cracks in your tooth’s enamel, it’s likely you will not require any treatment and these should cause no pain. Larger cracks, however, will need to be remedied before further damage occurs.
Cracked teeth may also appear as:
- Fractured cusp: Typically happens around a filling and doesn’t negatively affect the tooth pulp or cause much pain.
- Vertical root fracture: Starts underneath the gum line and reaches upward. Symptoms are usually minimal unless infection sets in. There are high chances tooth extraction will be needed for this type of crack.
- Split tooth: A crack that can separate a tooth into two parts and goes from the surface to below the gum line. This type of crack is extensive and may result in extraction though our dentists may be able to save a portion of the natural tooth.
- Crack extension into gum line: You will need immediate treatment for the best chances of saving your tooth. If you have a crack that hasn’t gone under the gum line yet, we can generally rescue the tooth with no issue.
Possible Treatment Options
Depending on the severity of your cracked tooth, treatment may vary. Our dentists could go the way of cosmetic bonding and place tooth-colored composite resin into the crack to restore its look and function. We could also determine that a protective dental crown is the best solution.
When the crack itself has reached the inner portion of your tooth, the pulp, it’s possible a root canal procedure may be in order. We’ll remove the damaged pulp and take measures to prevent future infection or structural issues.
Take the Next Step and Seek Treatment
Cracking a tooth should be taken seriously and not ignored. As soon as you notice that your tooth has a crack in it, contact our dentists in Washington, MI. We can assess the tooth and determine what kind of help you need whether that’s a simple filling or complete removal. Call Romeo Family Dentistry today at (586) 752-3589 to request an appointment.