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Cracked tooth

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CRACKED TOOTH: Accidents happen inside the mouth

A tooth crack is an accidental injury to your tooth which may be due to trauma or general wear and tear. The symptoms range from irregular pain while chewing to sudden pain when your tooth is exposed to hot or cold food stuffs. The pain may come and go and may not be an emergency.

If you are in severe pain, are bleeding excessively, have a major break, or have lost a tooth, that is a dental emergency and you should a dentist immediately. Your dentist will be able to schedule an appointment immediately and advise you on the next steps to take.

How to save your tooth from cracking?

Relief for your pain

TYPES OF CRACKED TOOTH

Some of the most common types of cracked tooth types are:

  • Craze lines. These are tiny cracks which affect only the outer enamel. Craze lines don’t cause pain and are of no concern beyond appearance. The tooth is typically restored with a veneer.
  • Fractured cusp. Fractures can result when the pointed part of the chewing surface gets weak and may break off. The tooth is typically restored with a crown.
  • Cracked tooth which may extend to the gum line. This type of crack extends from the chewing surface toward the root and can often result in damage to the pulp. The tooth is possibly treated with a root canal and crown.
  • Split tooth. Cracked teeth which aren’t treated can split into two separate segments and usually can’t be saved. The tooth needs to be extracted.
  • Vertical root fracture. These cracks begin on the chewing surface and extend to the root. Likely these teeth will need root canal therapy and a crown or extraction.

Every sore tooth has a message to give

Emotions for smile
What can I do to prevent my teeth from cracking?2019-09-06T14:02:13+05:30

While cracked teeth are not completely preventable, you can take some steps to make your teeth less susceptible to cracks.

  • Don’t chew on hard objects such as ice, unpopped popcorn kernels or pens.
  • Don’t clench or grind your teeth.
  • If you clench or grind your teeth while you sleep, talk to your dentist about getting a retainer or other mouthguard to protect your teeth.
  • Wear a mouthguard or protective mask when playing contact sports.
After treatment for a cracked tooth, will my tooth completely heal?2019-09-06T14:01:45+05:30

Unlike a broken bone, the fracture in a cracked tooth will not heal. In spite of treatment, some cracks may continue to progress and separate, resulting in loss of the tooth. Placement of a crown on a cracked tooth provides maximum protection but does not guarantee success in all cases.

The treatment you receive for your cracked tooth is important because it will relieve pain and reduce the likelihood that the crack will worsen. Once treated, most cracked teeth continue to function and provide years of comfortable chewing. Talk to your endodontist about your particular diagnosis and treatment recommendations.

How will my cracked tooth be treated?2019-09-06T14:00:46+05:30

There are many different types of cracked teeth. The treatment and outcome for your tooth depend on the type, location, and extent of the crack.

Craze Lines

Craze lines are tiny cracks that affect only the outer enamel. These cracks are extremely common in adult teeth. Craze lines are very shallow, cause no pain, and are of no concern beyond appearances.

Fractured Cusp

When a piece of a tooth’s chewing surface breaks off, often around a filling, it’s called a fractured cusp. A fractured cusp rarely damages the pulp, and usually doesn’t cause much pain. Your dentist can place a new filling or crown over the damaged tooth to protect it.

If you’ve cracked a tooth and breathing through your mouth or drinking cold fluids is painful, bite on clean, moist gauze or cloth to help relieve symptoms until reaching your dentist’s office. Never use topical oral pain medications or place aspirin on the affected areas to eliminate pain symptoms.

Cracked Tooth

A cracked tooth means a crack extends from the chewing surface of your tooth vertically toward the root. The tooth is not yet separated into pieces, though the crack may gradually spread. Early diagnosis is important in order to save the tooth. If the crack has extended into the pulp, the tooth can be treated with a root canal procedure and a crown to protect the crack from spreading.

However, if the crack extends below the gum line, it is no longer treatable, and the tooth cannot be saved and will need to be extracted. That’s why early treatment is so important. A cracked tooth that is not treated will progressively worsen, eventually resulting in the loss of the tooth. Early diagnosis and treatment are essential in saving these teeth.

Split Tooth

A split tooth is often the result of the long-term progression of a cracked tooth. The split tooth is identified by a crack with distinct segments that can be separated. A split tooth cannot be saved intact. The position and extent of the crack, however, will determine whether any portion of the tooth can be saved. In some cases, endodontic treatment may be performed to save a portion of the tooth.

Vertical Root Fracture

Vertical root fractures are cracks that begin in the root of the tooth and extend toward the chewing surface. They often show minimal signs and symptoms and may, therefore, go unnoticed for some time. Vertical root fractures are often discovered when the surrounding bone and gum become infected. Treatment may involve extraction of the tooth. However, endodontic surgery is sometimes appropriate if a tooth can be saved by removal of the fractured portion.

What if my tooth is chipped?2019-09-06T13:56:35+05:30

Chipped teeth account for the majority of dental injuries. Most chipped teeth can be repaired either by reattaching the broken piece of tooth enamel or by bonding a tooth-colored filling or crown in place. See your dentist as soon as possible after the injury to treat your chipped tooth and keep it from worsening.

Why does a cracked tooth hurt?2019-09-06T13:55:11+05:30

To understand why a cracked tooth hurts, it helps to know something about the anatomy of the tooth. Inside the tooth, under the white enamel and a hard layer called the dentin, is the inner soft tissue called the pulp. The pulp contains the tooth’s nerves and blood vessels.

When the outer hard tissues of the tooth are cracked, chewing can cause movement of the pieces, and the pulp can become irritated. Eventually, the pulp will become damaged to the point that it can no longer heal itself.

The tooth will not only hurt when chewing but may also become sensitive to temperature extremes. In time, a cracked tooth may begin to hurt all by itself. Extensive cracks can lead to infection of the pulp tissue, which can spread to the bone and gum surrounding the tooth.

How do I know if my tooth is cracked?2019-09-06T13:53:04+05:30

Cracked teeth show a variety of symptoms, including erratic pain when chewing, possibly with the release of biting pressure, or pain when your tooth is exposed to temperature extremes. In many cases, the pain may come and go, and your dentist may have difficulty locating which tooth is causing the discomfort.

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By |2019-09-06T14:07:15+05:30September 5, 2019|Uncategorized|0 Comments

About the Author:

Dr. Nikhil Girdhar, father of two really sharp and creative kids, a smile designer dentist, a writer since 20 years, a dental business coach and an entrepreneur by heart. He has keen interest in the field of dentistry and is passionate about exploring stories and new innovative techniques that can make this planet a better place to live. DENTAL PROFILE Dr. Nikhil Girdhar is a dental surgeon who specializes in Microendodontics and Implantology. He is a keen enthusiastic dentist which gives a happy feeling to the people around whether it be his patients or his staff. He is a firm optimist with pretty positive frame of mind. His innovative, creative skills have made him a popular face. His goal is to provide quality services for his patients to achieve long term good dental health. He has published plenty of articles in various Health Magazines. Dr. Nikhil Girdhar has done research work on the effects of different toothpaste materials in the treatment of dental diseases caused due to dental caries and gum diseases. Mentor Profile He has been running multiple dental practices with the name of Dr. Nikhil’s Dental since 10 years . Along with that he is now mentoring 14 practices pan India with some revolutionary results. After being mentored by DBM from Dr. Manish Chitnis, he has had a remarkable journey of practice management starting from a naïve who used to find dental practice as a very challenging and non profitable profession to now moving towards relishing all the flavors of life through dentistry. He has been conferred with the award of marketing genius of the year award . Afterwards, he was appointed as Dental Business Coach. He travels to Mumbai every quarter to address a group of elite dentists in Mumbai for dental business education. Along with that, he is the founder of various projects like Robust India- a professionally executed school health program , Health Now Magazine and DENTiPRAM – dental practice management academy. Dr. Nikhil has conducted interactive sessions in various dental associations on dental practice management. Apart from that his interests are connecting with people, public speaking, sports, technology and management skills. He loves to train dentists for setting their goals, a better patient experience and dental marketing.

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