Posted on November 30, 2022
A cracked tooth is a tooth that has become broken.
No. Teeth can crack in several different ways:
This is when a crack runs from the biting surface of the tooth down toward the root. Sometimes it goes below the gum line and into the root. A cracked tooth is not split into two parts but the soft, inner tissue of the tooth is usually damaged.
These are tiny cracks that affect only the outer enamel of the tooth. They are common in all adult teeth and cause no pain. Craze lines need no treatment.
The cusp is the pointed part of the biting surface of the tooth. If a cusp becomes damaged, the tooth may break. You will usually get a sharp pain in that tooth when biting.
This is often the result of an untreated cracked tooth. The tooth splits into two parts. Vertical root fractures are cracks that start in the root and go up towards the biting surface.
Many things can cause teeth to crack, such as:
There are a number of reasons that a tooth might crack. These reasons include:
Unfortunately, identifying a cracked tooth on your own may be difficult. Oftentimes, there is a vertical hairline fracture that may be nearly invisible to the human eye. Sometimes, these tiny cracks cannot even be seen on X-Rays. However, there are 5 warning signs of a cracked tooth of which you should be aware:
Treatment for a cracked tooth depends on the location and severity. Tiny cracks are common and typically do not even require any treatment. However, cracks that affect the cusp of a tooth may require a treatment procedure – possibly a crown.
Roughly 20% of cracked teeth require a root canal, and in some severe cases, the cracked tooth may need to be removed altogether. In that case, we can replace the tooth with an implant or a bridge.
Early treatment is important with a cracked tooth. If treatment is delayed, the crack will worsen and may result in tooth loss.
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Find us here
We are delighted to welcome you to our practice and are pleased that you chose us to serve your dental needs.