Have you ever bitten down on something hard and heard a cracking noise followed by intense pain? One of the strongest materials in the human body comprises teeth, but they can still crack when exposed to extreme pressure. If you have a cracked tooth, you will want to fix it as soon as you can. At Lovett Dental Piney Point, we offer many different treatment options for cracked teeth. Here is what you need to know about fixing this common problem.
The Reason You Need Treatment for Cracked Teeth
Some cracked teeth have an obvious crack or cause intense pain when you bite down. However, smaller cracks may cause slight discomfort that comes or goes when you chew or eat very hot and cold food. If you have a minor crack in your tooth that does not cause intense discomfort, you might choose to ignore it. However, this is a very bad idea. The problem with even tiny cracks is that they create a gap in the enamel, exposing the softer material inside the tooth. Over time, an infection can develop in the tooth. At first, you might have a small spot of tooth decay, such as a cavity. However, if you keep ignoring your cracked teeth, the infection can spread into the tooth root, gum, bone, or even bloodstream and cause very dangerous and painful conditions requiring treatment for cracked teeth.
Treatment for Cracked Teeth with Only Slight Damage
Treatment for cracked teeth might be fairly simple for teeth without bad damage. For a smaller cracked tooth, all you typically need is tooth bonding. This involves putting a tooth-colored plastic resin in the crack, smoothing it into place, and using a light to cure and harden the material. The whole procedure is typically done in under an hour, and anesthesia is not usually necessary unless the crack itself causes you pain. For cracks that are slightly deeper but only affect a small portion of the tooth, a traditional filling works well. Just like for repairing a cavity, a tooth-colored composite filling typically starts with light topical anesthesia before the dentist removes the damaged area. Then they fill in the spot with a material that closely matches the color of your teeth, so the repair is not extremely noticeable.
Treatment for Cracked Teeth with Severe Damage
Not all tooth cracks are as easy as just sealing up the gap. For very wide cracks, you may need a dental crown. This treatment for cracked teeth will involve smoothing down the surface of your tooth to a more manageable size before putting a tooth-shaped cap into place over the damaged tooth. If the crack is so severe or infected that the pulp inside the tooth has sustained damage, root canals in Piney Point, Texas, may be necessary. During a root canal, the dentist will remove the damaged pulp, replace it with a biocompatible material, and then seal the crack.
If the cracked tooth is not salvageable, it may be necessary to talk to your dentist about tooth removal. Once your dentist has cleared away the damage, they can recommend a replacement option. Bridges or dentures are a budget-friendly choice that involves holding an artificial tooth in place between healthy teeth or a dental plate. An implant is also an artificial tooth; a small implant that goes into your jawbone holds it in place. This lets it function and feel more like a normal tooth.
The expert staff at Lovett Dental Piney Point is comfortable handling a variety of cracked tooth treatments. In addition to our services for patients with cracked teeth, we also offer a lot of other helpful dental treatments, including:
- Dental exams
- Tooth whitening
- Braces
- Clear aligners
- Fluoride treatments
- Gum disease treatments
Get a healthier and brighter smile by giving us a visit. Contact Lovett Dental Piney Point at 832-242-2030 to learn more about our services to deal with a cracked tooth, or schedule your next dental appointment now.
