Chipped Tooth or Cracked Tooth

Chipped Tooth

A chipped, cracked or broken tooth may need emergency dentistry. Whether it’s a painful or a cosmetic emergency, we set aside time every day for these common calamities. A minor chip may be fixed with tooth reshaping. If changing the shape would diminish the beauty of your smile, Dr Kriston may recommend tooth bonding to fill in the area.

Broken Tooth

When a tooth is broken in your smile, Dr Kriston may recommend a veneer to provides strength for confidently biting into hard foods. Teeth under extreme pressure, like a molar or bicuspid, may need a ceramic inlay, onlay or tooth crown for durability.

A tooth broken off at the gum line or down the middle can be very painful if the nerve is exposed. Broken teeth should be seen right away by a dentist to avoid a tooth infection. An infected tooth is treated with a root canal, in addition to the restoration.

Cracked Tooth Syndrome

If you feel pain to hot and cold temperatures or chewing hard foods, you may have cracked tooth syndrome. Cracked teeth don’t heal themselves. A cracked tooth is like a crack in a windshield, once they start, they just grow longer. Tooth cracks go deeper and become painful as they approach the nerve at the tooth core. Teeth under pressure with fillings are the most vulnerable to cracking. Teeth grinding and crooked teeth contribute to teeth cracking. Cracked teeth that have constant sensitivity to chewing are fixed with tooth crowns. Tooth crowns prevent further splitting and get rid of pain by holding the tooth together and providing insulation from extreme temperatures.

How can I fix a cracked tooth at home?

Over-the-counter temporary materials do not stick to teeth when a chip or broken piece is sheared off the side of a tooth. Temporary material can only stay in a hole if a filling has fallen out. When a tooth is cracked or broken call our office asap to prevent a bigger problem.

Should I brush a broken tooth?

You should keep a broken tooth clean with brushing and oral irrigation. If you don’t brush, the gums can grow over the area of missing tooth and turn into a gum infection.

It’s not a good idea to leave a cracked or broken tooth as it is. An untreated broken tooth is weaker and can continue to fall apart. Fortunately, we are ready at a moment’s notice for a broken tooth. Give us a call and we’ll have you smiling again.