Are you worried about a cracked tooth? We all go through wear and tear with our teeth, but accidental damage caused by hard foods or extreme sports can put us at risk of fracturing them. Don’t fret, though, because we are here to help you restore your teeth.
This article will share details about the causes, symptoms, and treatments of cracked teeth. Cracked teeth are a common condition, and there are different types of dental treatments to fix your beautiful smile.
Why does a tooth crack?
Tooth cracks may come about due to many different causes or not at all. Much to many people’s surprise, small fissures/ hairline cracks on a tooth’s surface are quite common and will typically pose no problem until they turn into cracked tooth syndrome.
Age factor
As time passes, our tooth enamel gets worn down from all the food and drink it is exposed to. Gradually, this continuous wear-and-tear can weaken the teeth’s structure, making them more vulnerable to fractures when somebody reaches their fifth decade of life or beyond.
Consuming hard food
Consuming hard foodConsuming hard snacks can put immense pressure on your teeth and irritate the soft tissue of your gums, possibly resulting in chips and fractures.
To prevent this from happening, it is wise to avoid crunchy items, such as ice cubes, candy bars, unpopped corn kernels, fruit pits, and bones, all of which exert too much strain when you bite down.
Trauma and injuries
Participating in physical activities can easily result in fractured teeth; however, car accidents, falls from bicycles and elevated surfaces, as well as tripping over objects all have the potential to cause cracked tooth damage too.
Bruxism
If you grind your teeth while you sleep, it can wreak havoc on the long-term health of your smile. This habit puts immense pressure on enamel, causing fractures and pain as it wears away tooth structure. To protect against detrimental erosion, speak with a dental practitioner to get fitted for a custom mouth guard. With this simple tool, you’ll safeguard your pearly whites from any further damage.
Large dental filling
Although dental fillings should strengthen your oral health, if done wrong, they can do the opposite. If a filling is too large, it puts tension on the walls of your tooth, which may weaken them to such an extent that it could even fracture.
Cracked tooth symptoms
Visibly split tooth or tooth fracture
This damage may be apparent from chips along the tooth’s enamel to visible wear and tear.
Varied degrees of pain
Pain that surges with varying degrees of intensity and is commonly triggered by cold, hot, sweet, or sour food items. This discomfort can be experienced throughout the head, neck, and ear regions.
Infected gums
If neglected, a cracked tooth is an ideal environment for bacteria to travel and cause infection. If contaminated, your gums near the damaged area may swell or become tender. Timely care of a fractured tooth will help protect you from these complications.
Increased sensitivity
Extreme temperatures, especially cold ones, can provoke unwanted sensations. Additionally, if you are acutely sensitive to sweets but show no visible signs of decay or deterioration, it could be a cause for concern. If you recognise any of these signs, it is essential that you seek professional help immediately. Quick diagnosis and treatment are key to preserving your dental health while avoiding further damage.
Common types of cracked teeth
The treatment plan your dentist recommends will be based on the classification of the crack in your tooth. Some of the common types of cracked teeth are:
1) Craze lines
Craze lines are hairline fractures found on the outer layer of enamel, appearing as shallow vertical cracks, mainly in front adult teeth. Though painless generally, these do take a toll on your smile’s aesthetics; hence our dentist might suggest cosmetic dentistry services to restore its charm.
2) Fractured cusp
Tooth decay, teeth grinding, and clenching can all lead to a fractured cusp: the breakage of part of a tooth’s surface due to weakened enamel. The molars on the top and bottom back are usually most vulnerable to this kind of damage.
Unfortunately, fractured cusps don’t necessarily cause pain but discomfort. Symptoms you may experience include sensitivity to both hot and cold temperatures, pain when biting down or chewing food, and a sharp edge on the tooth that could irritate your gum line.
3) Cracked tooth (incomplete fracture)
A cracked tooth is a painful and traumatic experience. The tooth’s outer surface can become fractured, creating an incomplete fracture that extends down to its root.
When this happens, it causes immense discomfort as enamel movement irritates and affects the sensitive pulp inside your teeth. If the crack descends close to the tooth’s root, that can result in root pathosis – an ailment affecting the roots of one’s teeth.
Fortunately, if caught early enough, dental crowns can cover and shelter these types of cracks.
However, extraction may be necessary when they become more severe, with a replacement through a dental implant being required instead.
4) Split root
When a cracked tooth reaches its most advanced level, it’s known as a split root. In this state, the two halves of the fracture completely separate and may even become loose. To treat a split source effectively, we must extract it entirely – however, dental implants can provide an excellent replacement option that fuses with your jaw bone for optimal results. When treating a split root, replacing your extracted teeth with dental implants is recommended.
5) Vertical root fractures
If a crack extends from the root of a tooth towards its surface, this is called a vertical root fracture. Unfortunately, since these fractures begin below where we can see on the visible surface of teeth, they may not be noticed until infection occurs in the surrounding gums. However, with careful examination and radiographs, they can be diagnosed before an infection arises.
Removing and replacing affected teeth with dental implants is usually necessary for correcting these fractures; however, there are some cases when only removing the fractured portion (root resection) will do.
Cracked tooth treatment
Suffering from a cracked tooth can be incredibly uncomfortable and place you at risk of numerous overall oral health problems. Prompt treatment is essential to alleviate your pain, restore the affected tooth, and get back on track with leading an ideal lifestyle.
Our professional dental team at Port Macquarie Dental Centre is here for you – we’ll assess your needs and recommend the most suitable course of action after careful assessment of your dental history so that you don’t have to continue living in discomfort or face any potential long-term damages.
Dental veneers
If attaining a picture-perfect smile is your primary goal, porcelain veneers are the perfect solution. These thin shells of the ceramic material bond to the front of your teeth and instantly conceal any visible cracks or chips for an alluring look. With adequate care, these long-lasting treatments can give you a stunning smile lasting for years.
Dental crowns
Dental crownsA dental crown may be the ideal solution if your tooth needs repair! This custom-made protective porcelain or ceramic cap is designed to encase and protect your natural tooth from further injury.
To ensure that the fit and shape are perfect for you, impressions will be taken by the dentist so that it perfectly fits over your existing damaged tooth. Dental crowns can provide an effective remedy for cracked teeth still within treatable stages and fractured cusps.
Root canal treatment
If a crack has compromised the soft interior of your tooth, you will likely experience discomforts, such as sensitivity or pain. Fortunately, a root canal procedure can repair this damage. During the process, our professionals carefully remove all decay and infection from the affected root before protecting it with a dental crown so that any further spreading is prevented. This treatment option offers an effective solution to restore comfort and strength to your smile.
Dental Implant
If you need to have a tooth extracted due to extensive damage, then don’t worry about tooth loss, as it can be replaced with an advanced dental implant. This treatment is not only permanent but also restores the look and function of your smile in its entirety. Issues such as split root or vertical root fracture commonly demand tooth extraction; hence, replacing the tooth ought to be taken seriously for your overall health and quality of life. When paired with a crown, a dental implant appears natural so that you are able to eat, chew, and talk just like before.
Get your cracked tooth treated at Port Macquarie Dental Centre
Port Macquarie Dental Centre offers comprehensive restorative and cosmetic dentistry. If you want a cracked tooth diagnosis and best-suited treatment, schedule an appointment with our friendly dentists to customise the perfect treatment plan for your needs. Call us today on (02) 6105 9853.
References
Diagnosis of cracked tooth syndrome
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3467890/
Signs and symptoms of a tooth infection spreading to the body
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/symptoms-of-tooth-infection-spreading-to-body#what-happens
Why do some people grind their teeth?
https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/teeth-grinding
What is a root canal treatment?
https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/root-canal-treatment