If you’ve never had a cracked tooth, it can cause worry and concern. The discomfort might be slight and unnoticed, or it can be severe and prevent you from doing your daily activities. It’s crucial to see your dentist immediately for consultation and therapy if you have a cracked tooth. Immediate care is crucial to avoid complications like an infection or teeth extraction, which are avoidable and unnecessary.
How Do Dentists Treat Cracked Teeth?
It can be unsettling to experience the discomfort of a cracked tooth, which is why maintaining our teeth is essential. There are numerous varieties of fractured teeth. The crack’s type, location, and severity will determine the treatment and result for your tooth. There are many forms of cracked teeth:
- “Craze” Lines: Tiny cracks called “craze lines” only affect the outer enamel. In adult teeth, these fractures are highly prevalent. Craze lines are merely cosmetic, fragile, and painless.
- Fractured cusps: A fractured cusp is a portion of a tooth’s chewing surface that has broken off, frequently near a filling. Rarely does a fractured cusp cause pulp injury, and pain is typically minimal. Your dentist can cover the tooth with a new filling or crown to safeguard it.
- Tooth cracks: A cracked tooth has a crack that runs vertically from the chewing surface toward the tooth’s base. Though the crack may eventually expand, the tooth is still intact. The teeth must be diagnosed quickly to be saved. The crack in your tooth can be treated with a root canal and crown to stop the fracture from spreading if the crack has reached the pulp.
- Split Tooth: A fractured tooth frequently develops into a split tooth over time. A crack that is divided into different segments identifies a split tooth. A split molar can’t be kept whole. However, whether any part of the tooth can be salvaged will depend on where the crack is and how big it is. In some situations, endodontic therapy may preserve a part of the tooth.
- Vertical root fractures: Cracks that start in the tooth’s root and travel toward the biting surface are called vertical root fractures. They frequently exhibit few symptoms and indications, making it possible that they may go unnoticed for some time.
After diagnosing your condition, your dentist will discuss the treatment options to determine which best suits your requirements. The right kind of therapy can be chosen based on elements like symptoms and the location of the crack. Dentists can repair fractured teeth with bonding, crowns, root canals, and extractions. There are options for temporary relief if you can’t see your dentist immediately and need some pain relief or respite from sensitivity or tenderness. Over-the-counter painkillers can temporarily alleviate any level of pain. If you need a root canal, stay away from aspirin.
Treating Cracked Teeth With Desert Pearl Dentistry
Call Desert Pearl Dentistry at (760) 568-0130 to make an appointment if you notice a crack in your teeth. Dr. Brian Black can examine the crack and aid you in choosing the correct procedure to restore your tooth.
