Thinking your cracked tooth needs to be seen by a dentist? You are right, it does. There are a few different types of cracked teeth, ranging from very tiny cracks that may not require any dental treatment to very large cracks that require some form of dental treatment.
If you are currently experiencing pain when chewing or biting down, tooth sensitivity when consuming anything that is hot or cold or any swelling around or near the damaged tooth, then it is likely that your tooth needs to be treated so it will not be lost.
Common causes of cracked teeth
Learning about the common causes of a cracked tooth will help you prevent experiencing cracked teeth in the future. Some of the more common causes include eating hard foods, falling down, being in an automobile accident, being hit in the mouth when playing sports and being diagnosed with bruxism. It will depend on the cause and severity of your cracked tooth when it comes to the type of treatment you will need to repair the crack.
What can be done for a cracked tooth?
The following is a list of some of the more common treatment options used to treat cracked teeth.
Bonding
Dental bonding is a common dental treatment used to repair a cracked tooth. Bonding uses dental composite resin materials that are directly applied to the teeth in order to repair minor to moderate cracks within a tooth. With proper tooth care, dental bonding can last up to 10 years.
Crowns
Dental crowns are used to repair major cracks in teeth. When a crack in a tooth is so severe that the patient is in jeopardy of losing their teeth, a crown can be placed over the tooth in order to give it back its strength. Crowns not only restore the function of a cracked tooth, but they are also made to be cosmetically pleasing.
Root canals
Root canals are necessary when a crack in a tooth reaches the pulp inside of the tooth. When the pulp in a tooth is jeopardized, there is a chance that the tooth will be lost making a root canal necessary to save the tooth. Most patients who need to undergo a root canal procedure will need to have a dental crown placed over the tooth after the procedure in order to give the tooth back its strength.
Tooth extractions
Tooth extractions are necessary when a crack in a tooth reaches beneath the gum line. While it is not ideal to extract a tooth, a patient who experiences an extreme crack in one of their teeth often does not have a choice as the tooth has been damaged beyond repair. Choosing one of the many tooth replacement options is the next step if extraction is necessary.
Is your tooth currently cracked?
Are you currently living with a cracked tooth? The sooner you make an appointment with a dental professional for an evaluation the better. It is possible for your cracked tooth to become worse and that is something that you want to avoid from happening. Your teeth are made to last your entire lifetime and if one of them is in jeopardy, understand that dental treatment can help save your tooth.
Request an appointment here: https://www.sheats-endo.com or call Sheats Endodontic Group at (615) 526-2495 for an appointment in our Nashville office.
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