How to Restore a Cracked Tooth
Posted on 12/21/2020 by Brian Rounds, DDS |
 Our teeth can crack from injuries, poor oral hygiene, natural aging, and habits such as teeth grinding, chewing on hard objects, or using teeth as tools. Cracked teeth can be quite painful and negatively impact your quality of life. If left untreated, cracked teeth are vulnerable to infection and can have other serious consequences for your oral and overall health. Luckily, there are a variety of options for restoring cracked teeth.
Bonding
Dental bonding is used to fix relatively minor cracks. This procedure involves using tooth-colored resin to fill the crack in your tooth. Bonding restores the appearance of your tooth as well as its function and prevents the crack from extending further down to the root and causing more serious damage.
Veneers and Crowns
Veneers are thin but durable shells of porcelain that cover the front of your natural teeth. For cracked teeth, we shave the enamel down so that your new veneers will be able to fit over the cracked teeth properly, then we take impressions of your mouth. Your veneers will be custom-made to fit your mouth and match your natural teeth in size, shape, and color. They are bonded in place and act just like your natural teeth, meaning that your ability to bite and chew without pain will be fully restored.
Crowns are similar to veneers, except they cap the entire tooth as opposed to just the front. Crowns are the superior option if your tooth is severely cracked or worn down. The process for getting crowns is very similar to the process for getting veneers, and just like veneers, crowns are durable, natural-looking, and restore full function to your teeth.
Root Canal
A root canal may be necessary if a crack extends into the soft pulp inside your tooth, or to the root. During a root canal, we use a local anesthetic while removing infected or damaged tooth pulp. We thoroughly clean the canals of your teeth and seal them off with a material called gutta-percha so that they will not become re-infected. Typically, we will place a crown after performing a root canal on a cracked tooth.
Extraction
In rare cases, a tooth might be so severely cracked that it has fractured below the gum line. A tooth extraction might be the best option under these circumstances. If an extraction is necessary, we will discuss the best prosthetic option for you, whether that is a dental implant, bridge, or removable partial denture.
If you have a cracked tooth, contact our office as soon as possible to discuss your treatment options.
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