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Cracked teeth are a relatively common oral health problem that becomes even more common as you age. In fact, about 80% of people over age 40 have at least one crack in a tooth, typically a molar.
Richard Blackburn, DMD, MA, and the team at Volterra Dental offer emergency dental care featuring the most advanced solutions designed to relieve symptoms and prevent additional problems. Here, learn why cracked teeth happen and whether a cracked tooth merits an emergency dental visit.
Cracked teeth 101
Teeth are strong and capable of withstanding significant force whenever you bite or chew. In fact, enamel — the outer layer of tooth material — is the hardest substance in your body. Still, although teeth are tough, they’re not impervious to damage, including damage like cracks and fractures.
Cracked teeth can happen for lots of reasons: Impacts on your mouth or face can cause cracks, either from direct impact with an object or when an impact causes you to bite down suddenly. Biting or chewing on a hard object or hard food, like ice or hard candy, can cause cracks, too.
Even years of wear and tear can eventually cause cracks, particularly if your tooth is already compromised by prior damage or an old metal filling. Grinding and clenching habits can lead to cracks over time, including tiny, hard-to-see cracks called fissures.
Some cracks extend all the way through a tooth or down the full length of the tooth, while other cracks can be quite small — some so small it’s hard to see them on your own.
Regardless of the size or severity, all cracks need prompt medical attention to prevent more serious problems, like deep infections or tooth loss, from happening.
Cracked teeth are definitely a dental emergency
Even the tiniest crack is plenty wide for tinier bacteria to make their way through, and if a crack isn’t treated right away, there’s plenty of time for those bacteria to enter and spread to deeper parts of your tooth or your jaw bone. Without immediate treatment, you can wind up with far more serious infections and decay that require more extensive — and more costly — treatment.
Immediate care is also important for relieving or preventing symptoms, like:
- Toothache
- Gum tenderness
- Swelling
- Pain when biting
- Increased sensitivity to temperature
Delaying care allows cracks to grow and widen, increasing your risk of decay and deep bone infections.
Treating cracks
Cracked tooth treatment varies depending on the size of the crack, its location on the tooth, and other factors. Very small cracks or fissures may be treated conservatively with bonding agents designed to repair and “close” the opening made by the crack.
Often, though, a crack requires a crown to cover the tooth and provide additional protection. Even a small crack can compromise the strength and integrity of the tooth, increasing the risk of fractures and other damage. Dental crowns cover the whole visible part of the tooth, keeping bacteria out and providing additional strength.
In very severe cases — like a larger crack that extends all the way to the root — root canal treatment or even extraction may be the best option. If you need a tooth pulled, we can recommend a replacement, like a dental implant, partial denture, or bridge, to preserve your bite balance and oral health.
Don’t ignore tooth symptoms
Even mild tooth pain or a change in your bite pattern is an indication that you need to schedule a visit. Ignoring symptoms—even minor or intermittent ones—only allows an underlying problem to worsen, leading to more complex treatment in the future.
If you suspect you have a cracked tooth or if you have any unusual symptoms, like pain or swelling, request an appointment online or over the phone with Dr. Blackburn and the team at Volterra Dental in Los Alamitos, California, today.