Have a broken tooth? A chip or crack? All three can lead to a wide-range of feelings, from sensitive teeth to severe pain. Fortunately, a broken tooth or chipped tooth can be repaired with a quick visit to the dentist.
How is a broken tooth or cracked tooth repaired?
Cracked teeth can be repaired in several different ways. However, the method of repair mostly depends on the type and severity of the cracked tooth/teeth. Your dentist will decide the best method for you. It’s important to remember, though, that whether a primary or permanent tooth is cracked, treatment is still necessary. There are many problems that this minor, oral issue can cause.
Here are the three common methods for repairing a cracked tooth:
#1 Fillings
You can expect to receive nothing more than a filling in fairly minor cases. Cracks that are pretty short, shallow, and not likely to spread can easily be fixed with a quick filling. This is very much like patching up a minor crack on the road.
#2 Dental Crowns
Not all cracked teeth cases are minor. In severe cases, a dental crown may need to be set in place to prevent the crack from deepening or spreading further.
No worries, dental crowns aren’t as scary as they seem. Fortunately, they can look very realistic and function as any other tooth in the mouth. A dental crown can be quite protective of a tooth.
#3 Root canals
Sometimes a cracked tooth can become more than just a cracked tooth. A simple crack can cause pulp or tissue damage in some more severe cases. Therefore, it would require a root canal to be done.
While a broken tooth or cracked tooth cases may not initially seem severe, those who fail to immediately tend to their cracked tooth will find that their crack may worsen over time, which is why treatment should soon be done, to prevent further problems such as needing a root canal.
If your cracked tooth turns into a chipped tooth, a filling can be used for minor cases, or tooth bonding may be completed. Very severe cases may best benefit from a dental crown, or in the case that a tooth is almost completely chipped off, having that tooth professionally removed and replaced with a dental implant. Your dentist, once again, will decide your most reliable option fit for your personal scenario.
No matter how minor or severe your cracked tooth or broken tooth is, it’s important to make a trip to the dentist as soon as possible to have it checked out. It may seem like no big deal to you, but it can cause costs to rise and more problems to occur shortly after if treatment is not sought out in time.
