Some of you may know this feeling. While eating, you bite down on something and suddenly feel pain. Do you now have a cracked tooth?
What Are the Signs and Symptoms of a Cracked Tooth?
- Pain – One of the first symptoms that you have a crack in your tooth is pain. The severity varies from person to person. Pain can be anywhere from shooting or throbbing and mild to severe. The pain can sometimes be constant while other times it will only come when you are eating, speaking, drinking, or touching the area. Sometimes the pain will go away after a few days.
2. Sensitivity – You may have a crack if you feel pain or sensitivity when biting down or drinking hot or cold drinks. You may notice that there is a very specific area that hurts when you are eating or drinking. This pain may be mild to severe, depending on the severity of the crack. If you try to bite down on the area where it hurts, there may be a dull ache or throbbing pain that radiates from the crack.
3. Visible Damage – Another sign of a cracked tooth is visible damage to the teeth. If you look at your mouth and see that there are chips or an actual crack line, it can be a sign of an internal fracture of your tooth. The damage to the tooth may only occur on one side of the tooth. Also, you may notice that there are several chips. You will be able to see the damage without having to use x-rays since it is on the exterior of your teeth. Ten percent of cracks are vertical and if you ignore it, the tooth can split which would require removal of the tooth and then replacement which would be more costly.
4. Infection – A small bump, sometimes painful, may appear on the gums near the cracked tooth.
What Can I Do to Fix My Cracked Tooth?
If you think that a tooth is damaged, there are several things you can do to help and prevent it from getting worse. The first thing you can do is call us to determine what needs to be done. We will take x-rays of your tooth so we can get a clear look at how severe the crack is. This will provide you with an option that works best for you. For minor cracks, we may recommend filling the crack or placing a crown over it to prevent further damage and pain.
For more severe cases of a cracked tooth, we may recommend root canal therapy. If the crack goes through the enamel of your tooth, it will put you at risk for infection and future pain. To prevent this, we will remove the damaged tissue and replace it with a synthetic material that is safe for you to eat.
Root canal therapy often requires multiple visits to ensure that your tooth is healthy and working properly again. The process is a common procedure to remove the infection from inside the tooth while also preventing future infections from occurring.
If you have a tooth that has a crack in it, both filling the crack and root canal therapy are great options to get you back on your feet. You do not want to ignore the crack in your tooth and let it get worse since you will be putting yourself at risk for infection and future pain. For more information on how to tell if you have a cracked tooth and what steps you can take, contact Mid-Cities Dental today. We can provide you with the best possible care and work to ensure that your teeth are in good health once again.