Solutions To Common Dental Problems
Broken or Cracked Teeth
If you have broken or cracked teeth, prompt dental attention is essential. A crack or break in your tooth can lead to significant pain and discomfort, affecting your ability to chew and can alter your eating habits. Despite the temporary relief that pain medication may provide, it is important to have the break or crack checked out by a dentist.
Furthermore, broken or cracked teeth poses the risk of damaging the tooth nerve, potentially requiring additional treatment to save the tooth.
It is important that seeking timely intervention is vital to prevent:
- bacteria entering the nerve of the tooth
- the tooth breaking further
- the tooth cutting your cheek or tongue
The extent and type of crack, as well as the affected tooth or teeth, determine the diagnosis and treatment. In fact, minor cracks with minimal pain may require no treatment but ongoing monitoring. However, extensive cracks may result in a broken tooth that cannot be saved.
If you experience severe pain, tenderness, discomfort, or sensitivity, schedule a dentist appointment promptly. Early intervention prevents complications and safeguards dental health.
Types of Tooth Breaks and Tooth Cracks
Your tooth can crack from biting into a hard object, prolonged pressure exerted due to grinding your teeth (bruxism), suffering an injury or trauma to the mouth or from the wear and tear of old age.
The most common types of cracks include:
Fractured:
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- Fractured cusp - A fractured cusp occurs when the tooth's chewing surface is impacted and breaks off. These cracks usually extend to or beyond the gum line and are prevalent in teeth with large fillings. Teeth affected may become sensitive to hot and cold. Treatment options include a new filling, a crown, or root canal treatment where the pulp has been exposed.
- Vertical root fractures -Vertical root fractures are fractures that extend vertically from the tooth's root up to the chewing surface. Rarely accompanied by pain, these cracks can remain unknown for extended periods. Usually, these occur in teeth that have had root canal treatment. The most common result is the extraction of the tooth.
Line:
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- Craze line - These are painless tiny cracks that appear in the tooth enamel or surface of the tooth. These cracks do not require treatment. Typically, they are vertical and barely visible. The dentist examines these lines to ensure that they do not extend beyond the enamel.
Cracks
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- Cracks through the crown of the tooth through to the gum line typically do not outright crack the tooth and can be saved. The crack extends from the tooth's surface (chewing surface) to the gum and commonly impacts the tooth's pulp. To protect the sensitive internal areas of the tooth, root canal treatment may be appropriate. Often, if the damage is too severe to save the tooth, an extraction may be necessary.
Split
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- Split tooth - This extends the length of the tooth (root to the surface) and splits the tooth in half. As a result, an extraction is usually needed. In some instances where the split occurs in molar teeth, the tooth may be saved. The damaged half is extracted which leaves the other side to have root canal treatment. Finally, the tooth is then capped with a crown, which to protect the remaining tooth.
FAQs About Broken Or Cracked Teeth
Pain may arise when the tooth nerve undergoes trauma, which leads to exposure (or near-exposure) to the oral environment. Without the protective covering of the tooth structure, the nerve becomes susceptible to bacteria in the mouth. As a result, you may experience sensitivity to temperature changes, including those caused by various foods and drinks.
Wondering how to care for your broken or cracked tooth? Here are some essential steps:
- Avoid hot and cold foods and drinks: Steer clear of temperature extremes that can trigger discomfort or worsen the condition of your broken or cracked tooth.
- Avoid hard foods: Refrain from consuming hard foods that could potentially exacerbate the damage to your tooth.
- Avoid chewing on the affected side: Minimize pressure on the broken or cracked tooth by avoiding chewing on the side where it is located.
- Attend the dentist as soon as possible: Seek prompt dental attention to address the issue and prevent further complications.
You may be wondering about treatment options for your broken or cracked tooth? Consider the following possibilities:
- Cover the underlying tooth surface: The primary objective is to shield the exposed or damaged tooth surface, promoting comfort and alleviating pain. Additionally, this approach enables monitoring of the tooth nerve if required.
- Individualised treatment: Your specific circumstances and the extent of the damage help determine the most suitable treatment. This personalised approach is discussed with you during your initial appointment. This is to ensure a comprehensive understanding of your condition and the options available to you.
Treatment of Broken or Cracked Teeth
The severity of the damage arising from the break determines the treatment options for a broken or cracked tooth. For instance, if the tooth enamel has chipped off or broken away, a simple filling may be the solution, often completed in a quick single trip to the dentist.
Also, the materials used are also determined by the location of the tooth; for visible teeth such as front ones, composite resin may be more appropriate. Furthermore, this tooth-coloured material, when bonded to your tooth, looks natural, and the break or crack is not visible to the naked eye.
On the other hand, if you have experienced a more complex and extensive break or cracked tooth, the treatment may be more complicated and expensive. It may also extend over several appointments, depending on the damage caused to the tooth and mouth.
Treatment Options
Treatment options
The options for these treatments include:
- filling or bonding – Applying an adhesive material to the tooth, it is shaped to resemble your natural tooth in shape, size, and colour.
- dental crown or cap – In cases of extensive cracks or breaks that lead to decay and the removal of a portion of the tooth, a cap or crown can be a solution to save and protect the tooth.
- dental veneer – When there is damage to a front tooth, a veneer can be an option. It slips on top of the natural tooth, bonding to the surface and masking the crack.
- root canal treatment – For large cracks or breaks exposing the pulp, resulting in infection or disease root canal treatment is an option. This sees the roots of the tooth cleaned, filled, and sealed to prevent further bacterial damage. Next, the tooth is then capped with a crown to ensure protection.
If the tooth is broken but the root is not damaged, root canal treatment may also be an option. This is done by utilising a canal, which is inserted with a post that can be built up for affixing a crown.
To find out more about treating your broken or cracked teeth, call our friendly staff at Woodville & Seaton Dental Clinic on (08) 8268 5422 or request an appointment online.
