Accidents involving your mouth can sometimes lead to a cracked front tooth. Tripping on an even sidewalk, getting a knock on the face, or taking a big bite of hard, solid food can all usually put your front teeth at risk. If your front tooth or any part of your teeth has cracked, seeing a dentist is essential to determine the severity of the condition. Read on to find out what treatment options are available to fix your cracked front tooth right away.
A Chipped or Broken Tooth
A cracked chipped, or broken tooth is a common dental condition that may lead to tooth loss. Usually, children are prone to encounter dental accidents, resulting in a broken or chipped tooth. However, adults can also have broken teeth. Possible reasons for chipped or broken teeth include:
- biting or chewing solid foods like nuts, ice, or hard candy
- pressure from teeth grinding
- a hit to the mouth that may happen with a sporting injury, car accident, fall, or even a fistfight
- fillings so huge they impair the integrity of the tooth
- sudden changes in temperature in the mouth
- age, most teeth cracks occur in people more than 50
Types of Cracked Teeth
Cracks or chips on the tooth can appear as:
Craze lines: A craze line is a super-small crack in the tooth enamel, the hard outer covering of teeth. Craze lines cause no pain and do not need any dental treatment.
Fractured cusp: It is a crack that usually appears around a dental filling. Like craze lines, fractured cusps do not cause much pain since they do not affect the tooth’s pulp.
Crack reaches out into the gum line: A tooth with upward damage but has not yet extended at the gum line is usually possible to save. However, if the crack reaches out into the gum line, your dentist may need to extract it. In any case, immediate treatment provides the best opportunity to save the tooth.
Split tooth: In this condition, the crack on the tooth travels from its surface to underneath the gum line. In fact, the damage here can separate the tooth into two segments. With such conditions, it is impossible for your dentist to save the entire tooth. However, they might be able to save a part of it.
Vertical root fracture: This is a crack that starts beneath the gum line and goes upward. It usually does not create any side effects, except if the tooth becomes infected. Odds are the tooth will undergo extraction.
Symptoms
Sometimes, a cracked tooth does not cause any symptoms. However, if symptoms occur, common ones incorporate
- pain when biting or chewing food
- pain that goes back and forth but is rarely continuous
- sensitivity to heat, cold, or sweetness
- swelling of the gum around the affected tooth
Cracked Tooth Repair: Common Treatment for Broken or Chipped Tooth
Treatment relies upon the symptoms, location, size, and whether the crack extends into the gum line. With those factors, your dentist may prescribe one of the following treatments:
Dental Bonding
This method applies a plastic resin to cover the crack and restore the look and function of your natural tooth.
Dental Crown
Dental crowns are prosthetic devices generally produced in ceramic or porcelain. A crown is similar to an original tooth that fits over the damaged tooth or caps it.
Root Canal Treatment
When the crack of your tooth extends into the pulp, your dentist, endodontist, or oral surgeon may recommend root canal therapy. This procedure removes damaged pulp, restoring some integrity to the tooth. In addition, root canals can keep the tooth from becoming infected or weakening further.
Tooth Extraction
Tooth extraction may sometimes be the only option available. This is particularly true when severe damage affects the tooth structure, nerves, and roots below it.
Prevention
Even though you cannot treat a cracked tooth at home, you can try to prevent one. Proper oral hygiene practice promotes strong teeth, which are more averse to breaking or cracking.
Hence, brush your teeth twice a day, floss daily, and make sure to visit your dentist regularly for preventive care services.
In addition, avoid biting or chewing on hard foods. Also, always use a mouth guard if you are prone to dental accidents, such as playing contact sports and grinding your teeth while sleeping.
Looking For An Emergency Dentist?
Accidents can happen anytime, and if these unforeseen events involve your mouth, you can have a chipped or broken tooth. Fortunately, our emergency dentist in Perth is trained to handle different dental injuries such as these, which can help you provide a quick diagnosis and fix it. So if you need an emergency dentist in the future, you can call our office at (08) 9783 9006 even after regular office hours.
References:
Dental Prosthetics.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/materials-science/dental-prosthetics
Overview – Root canal treatment.
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/root-canal-treatment/
When Surgical Extraction Of Teeth Is Necessary.
Recent Comments