Grinding your teeth, eating tough foods, or simply getting older can weaken the structure of your teeth, making you more prone to dental fractures over time. A cracked tooth is more than excruciatingly painful: it can become a breeding ground for bacteria, requiring prompt treatment. Before you know it, you might have to Google “tooth extractions near me.”
While dentists may be able to restore a cracked tooth, removal and a reliable restoration like a dental implant may be the only solution when the damage is too extensive. We created this guide to help you understand your available options.
What Is a Cracked Tooth?
Cracked teeth are caused by damage to the tooth that results in a small break or fracture. The damage could be so minor that it barely affects your oral health, or it could be so obvious that it splits your tooth into pieces, constituting a dental emergency.
Although cracks can occur in any tooth, they most frequently occur in the mandibular molars, which are the teeth in the back of the lower jaw, and the upper front teeth. Cracked tooth syndrome (CTS) and fractured tooth are other terms for cracked teeth.
A tooth crack is a severe dental injury. Even the tiniest chip can give bacteria more surface area to grow on and break down your tooth enamel. Bacteria can enter your tooth pulp through deep chips, which can lead to an abscess. If treatment is not received, the infection may even spread to your jawbone, tendons, muscles, and facial fat cells, affecting your smile and putting your entire body at risk.
What Are the Symptoms of a Cracked Tooth?
Cracked teeth don't always show symptoms. Surface chips are frequently invisible and can only be detected in a dental office using ultraviolet light. When they do show symptoms, an infection has most likely spread and manifested itself in ways like:
- Sharp pain when you bite down.
- Sensitivity to temperature changes or when eating sweet foods.
- Swelling around the tooth.
- Bad breath, or halitosis.
- Fever.
- Swollen gums.
- Swollen lymph nodes.
What Can Cause Cracked Teeth?
Dental fractures can happen due to various reasons. Some of the most common ones include:
- Age: As you age, your teeth deteriorate, making tooth cracking more likely.
- Biting into Hard Foods: Popcorn kernels, candy, and ice can cause tooth cracking.
- Dental Procedures: Procedures such as root canals or large dental fillings can weaken teeth and raise the risk of tooth cracking, especially if a crown is not applied.
- Teeth Grinding (Bruxism): Stress and other problems can cause you to grind your teeth, eventually leading to tooth cracking.
- Dental Trauma: Being struck in the mouth can cause a tooth to crack. That may occur if you are in a car accident, fall, or are injured while participating in sports.
Types of Cracked Teeth
Your teeth are made up of various parts, and you may have a crack in every one of them. Depending on where the crack is located and how the crack is shaped, we can classify your tooth fracture into:
- Cracked Tooth: A vertical crack extending from your tooth's biting surface to your gum line. The crack may occasionally spread into your root and gum line.
- Hairline Cracks: Also known as "craze lines," these are tiny, extremely thin fissures in your tooth enamel. They generally don't hurt.
- Broken Cusp: If a crack appears around a dental filling, what you have is a broken cusp. Usually, fractured cusps do not hurt much.
- Split Tooth: This occurs when a crack divides your tooth in two, as the name suggests. A split tooth may extend below your gum line.
- Vertical Root Fracture: A crack that begins beneath your gum line and progresses to the surface of your tooth. Unless your tooth pulp becomes infected, this kind of cracked tooth might not show any symptoms.
What Are the Treatment Options for a Cracked Tooth?
Cracked teeth can be treated in various ways, depending on the location and type of fracture. The first step is to accurately diagnose the full location and depth of the crack. Dentists have various methods to do so, such as:
- Looking for indications of damage, such as cracks, on your tooth.
- Asking you to bite down on a stick to check for pain.
- Checking for inflammation in your gums because vertical fractures often cause irritation.
- Shining a light through your tooth to make the crack visible.
- Applying a staining dye to your tooth to see the crack more clearly.
- Getting dental X-rays to check for fractures and associated problems like bone loss.
- Using a periodontal probe to help find the crack.
Management and Treatment of Dental Fractures
Once we have properly identified the cracked tooth, we can explore available treatment options. Depending on how much damage your tooth has, we may perform:
- Dental Bonding: A dentist uses tooth-colored resin to fill in cracks.
- Dental Contouring: Your dentist may polish your teeth, check and adjust areas where your teeth are hitting too hard, and smooth any rough edges.
- Dental Crown: The chipped tooth is covered with a porcelain or ceramic cap.
- Tooth Extraction: Your dentist might advise extracting your tooth if a crack causes significant harm to the root and nerves. They might then use a dental bridge or an implant to replace it.
What Are the Risks of Dental Fractures?
Dental cracks don’t always call for emergencies. For instance, if the cracked tooth doesn’t cause pain, showcase infection, or extend very deep or far into your tooth, you may go on without needing any treatment. However, it’s always best to consult with a dentist if you notice there’s a chip in one of your teeth.
Chips are often an indicator that your tooth is suffering excessive pressure. Without treatment, the chip will only continue to deepen until the damage is irreparable. It’s best to visit a dentist experienced in restorative dentistry and stop the harm before it’s too late.
Explore Options After Tooth Extractions Near You
Depending on the severity of the issue, repairing a dental crack can take a single appointment or extend over various months. If a tooth extraction is the only solution, the team at 3020 Dental Implants will help you explore all restorative options available.
Among treatments, dental implants are a stable, long-lasting, and reliable solution to tooth loss that looks natural and stimulates your natural jawbone. This prevents bone resorption that occurs after tooth loss, protecting your oral health and your facial structure for years to come. If you want to learn more about this treatment, contact us today!
