The cracked tooth appears when a crack or crevice forms in the tooth, which can be caused by over-tightening the teeth, such as in cases of bruxism, or by forcing the jaw by biting a hard object such as a pencil, ice or bullet, for example. It may not cause symptoms, or cause from mild to very severe pain, which usually occurs when chewing or drinking, and which varies according to the region of the affected tooth and extent of injury.
When it is cracked, the tooth does not regenerate itself, and the treatment must be indicated by the dentist, depending on the severity of the crack formed, and some options are from restoring the tooth, repairing with specific materials or other dental treatments such as performing a crown, a canal or, in the last case, extraction of the tooth.
The molar tooth is usually harder, as it undergoes a lot of pressure during chewing and tightening of the jaw, however, any tooth can be affected.
Main symptoms
If the lesion is superficial, reaching only the outer layer of the tooth, there may be no symptoms, however, when it reaches deeper parts, such as dentin or pulp, there may be sensitivity or even toothache. The cracked tooth pain can range from mild, it comes up from time to time, as well as being intense and appearing whenever you chew or drink something.
Not always the crack or crack in the tooth is visible, so in the presence of symptoms that indicate this problem, the dentist can do the clinical examination and, if necessary, imaging tests such as x-ray, which can visualize some larger cracks . It is necessary to seek the dentist whenever the cracked tooth is suspected, because if it remains untreated, in some cases,
What to do
To treat the cracked tooth, it is necessary to consult with the dentist, and there are some treatment options, which include:
- Regular follow-up as a dentist, if it is a very superficial crack and does not cause symptoms;
- Repair the tooth with a repair treatment that includes the use of a dental adhesive or a special resin to restore the tooth;
- Make a dental crown, to strengthen the weakened tooth;
- Make a canal treatment, to remove the pulp, if it is reached;
- Remove the tooth, in the latter case, when the root is very compromised.
The treatment can be indicated even if it is a milk tooth, because the cracked tooth facilitates the infection by caries or bacterial plaque formation, and it should be avoided to maintain this type of lesion for a long time, especially when they reach deep parts to the root of the tooth. Learn about the dangers of dental caries and how to treat them.
What are the causes
The main cause of a cracked tooth is pressure on the tooth in cases of bruxism, a habit of grinding teeth or biting hard objects such as ice or candy. Also, bumping into the mouth, caused by accidents, is also one of the causes of tooth cracking, so it should be remembered whenever persistent tooth pain arises after this type of situation.
In some cases, the blow on the tooth can cause it to break completely, and specific treatments are also necessary. Know what to do in case of a broken tooth.
