Cracked Teeth
When you think about the demand we place on our teeth, it’s really not surprising that they can suffer cracks and chips. Whether you chew hard foods, or you like to munch on pen caps, or have bruxism (grinding and clenching), you can end up with cracked teeth. In other cases, a trauma to the mouth may be to blame.
The end result can mean pain and unsightly cracks, chips, or even broken teeth. This may impact your confidence and open the door to tooth decay. Fioritto Family Dental has the solutions to fix cracks and restore your smile. The treatment will depend on the type and severity of the crack.
Prevention
The best way to treat a cracked tooth is to prevent it from happening in the first place. Damage can also worsen quickly. It’s not always within your control, but you can certainly avoid chewing harmful items like ice and foreign objects. If you suspect stress levels might be causing you to clench or grind your teeth, voice your concerns and our dentists will examine you and if necessary, create a custom bite guard to protect your teeth and prevent cracks, chips, and wear.
Filling or Bonding
Minor cracks, called craze lines, often affect only the enamel of the tooth, so they don’t typically cause pain. You may not even notice them. If you can feel the crack, it’s always best to let us check it out. We need to make sure it hasn’t gone beyond the enamel and penetrated the dentin, inviting infection. If this is the case, a simple filling may address the issue.
If the crack is more severe, such as a vertical crack that starts at the chewing surface and splits toward the gum line, or if the crack is on a highly visible front tooth, bonding may also be necessary to restore the smile and stop further damage. With more severe cracks, you may have symptoms like pain or sensitivity to hot and cold food and beverages.
Root Canal
If a crack is so severe that the tooth has split in half, serious measures may be required to salvage it, potentially a root canal. This type of crack is likely to cause intense pain, especially if the pulp of the tooth becomes inflamed. A root canal will stop the pain and give us the opportunity to repair the appearance of the tooth.
Extraction
Unfortunately, it’s not always possible to save severely cracked teeth, in which case extraction may be required. In this case, we offer several restoration options, including bridges, dentures, and dental implants.
If a cracked tooth is causing you pain, or you suspect cracks that may worsen, contact Fioritto Family Dental today at 440-951-5511!