All You Need To Know About Cracked Tooth And Its Repair
Tomball, TX

When chewing hard candy or ice,  you may first notice that your tooth is broken or cracked. It can be scary. But don’t be afraid. Your tooth can be fixed, and so can your smile.We see many people at our dental office who have broken or chipped teeth. And both our friendly staff and our trained and experienced dentist know how to handle this situation.

We can fix broken teeth with procedures that are both restorative and cosmetic. How badly your tooth is hurt will determine the best way to fix it. But you have choices, and thanks to technological advances, you don’t have to live with ugly teeth.Your teeth’s enamel is the hardest tissue in your body, but it can still break or crack.

There are many ways your teeth get damaged. You might have been doing something you probably shouldn’t have, like playing football without a mouth guard or chewing on a pencil. Or maybe you had a scary fall, car accident, or blow.

The American Dental Association says that the top nine foods that damage your teeth are hard candies, ice, citrus, coffee, dried fruit, potato chips, soda, alcohol, and sports drinks.Tooth decay or cavities can also weaken your teeth, making them more likely to break when you chew something hard.

What Is A Broken Tooth?

When a crack appears in your tooth, it is called a fractured tooth or cracked tooth syndrome (CTS). Sometimes the crack is small and not dangerous. Sometimes, it can break or split your tooth. Children and older people are most likely to break their teeth.

There Are Different Kinds Of Cracked Teeth

The types of cracked teeth includes:

Craze Lines

These are tiny cracks that only affect the enamel on the outside. They are shallow and they don’t hurt anyone, and don’t matter for anything other than their appearance.

Broken Cusp

 A broken cusp is when a piece of the chewing surface of a tooth breaks off. It doesn’t hurt most of the time very much. They can be harmful and sometimes cause irritation in the oral mucosa.

Cracked Tooth

When a tooth is cracked, a crack goes from the chewing surface down to the root. In this case, getting an early diagnosis is essential to save the tooth. If you don’t fix a cracked tooth, it will worsen over time, and you might lose the tooth. Cracked teeth can be saved if you get treatment right away.

Spitted Tooth

Most of the time, a split tooth is caused by a long-term crack in the tooth. It has a crack that has separate pieces that can be pulled apart. A broken tooth can’t be put back together again.

Vertical Root Fracture

 These cracks start at the tooth’s root and go up where you chew. Most of the time, they don’t show many signs or symptoms.  Most of the time, they are found when the bone and gum around them get sick.

What Are Some Signs That My Tooth Might Have Broken?

Unfortunately, it can be hard to tell on your own if you have a cracked tooth. Often, a vertical crack is so small that it is almost impossible to see. Sometimes, even X-rays can’t see these tiny cracks. But there are 5 signs that a tooth is cracked that you should know about:

When You Bite Or Chew, Your Teeth Hurt 

This can be a good sign of a cracked tooth, even if you don’t always feel pain when you eat. It might only happen when you eat certain foods or bite down a certain way.

Lack Of Pain All The Time

 A cracked tooth doesn’t hurt all the time, like a cavity or an abscess. You likely have a broken tooth if you don’t have constant pain.

My Sensitivity Went Up

You might notice that it hurts when you eat or drink something hot or cold. You might also feel sensitive when you eat sticky, sweet, or sour foods. A cracked tooth could be the cause of a tooth that hurts more.

Infection

The gum line around the teeth can sometimes get infected when a tooth is broken. This infection would show up as a small bump near the tooth on the gum.

No Visible Signs

Usually, you can see signs of decay when you have a cavity. You might see a dark spot on the tooth’s surface or a hole where the enamel has worn away. If you have tooth pain but can’t see any obvious signs, this could also be a sign that your tooth is cracked.

How Do You Fix A Cracked Tooth?

How a cracked tooth is treated depends on where it is and how bad it is. Small cracks are common and usually don’t even need to be fixed. On the other hand, cracks in the cusp of a tooth might need treatment like a crown.

About 20% of cracked teeth need a root canal; if the crack is bad enough, the tooth may need to be removed. In that case, we can put an implant or a bridge in its place.

How Can I Keep My Teeth From Breaking And Getting Damaged?

Strong teeth are less likely to break, so taking care of your teeth is essential. You should brush your teeth twice daily, floss every day, and go to the dentist every six months for preventive care. Don’t chew on hard things. If you play contact sports, you should always wear a mouthguard, and if you grind your teeth at night, you should wear one while you sleep.

You need to see a dentist immediately if you have a broken or cracked tooth. You can visit our dental clinic for the best broken teeth related treatment in your locality.