We Can Get Your Cracked Tooth Repaired Quickly
If you’ve cracked your tooth, you’re not alone. Cracked teeth frequently lead to tooth loss if not treated properly. In fact, cracked teeth are the third leading cause of tooth loss in industrialized nations.
Having a cracked tooth (cracked tooth syndrome) is considered a dental emergency. You should contact our Fort Collins Dentist, Dr. Murphy to set up an appointment for an exam and a treatment plan right away. The sooner you receive treatment for your cracked tooth, the more likely it is that you can save the tooth – or prevent damage to surrounding teeth.
Causes of a Cracked Tooth
A cracked tooth can be caused by a variety of factors. Some of the most common causes include:
Biting Down on Something Hard
- Ice and hard candy – are common culprits – you should never be biting down on either as they can crack your teeth.
- Olives and fruit – obviously have positive health benefits, you’ll want to bite with care as the hard pit can damage your tooth.
- Popcorn – popcorn kernels are notorious for cracking teeth
- Nuts – Peanuts, almonds, walnuts – all have nutritional value, but they can all cause damage to teeth if you’re not careful
Injury or Blow to the Mouth or Face
If you’ve been in an accident or received a blow to the head it could certainly result in damage to your mouth – including a cracked tooth
Teeth Grinding (Bruxism)
Grinding your teeth can result in small, shallow cracks that can expand into bigger cracks that can damage your teeth. Note that one way to prevent grinding your teeth at night is with a mouth guard.
Dental Infection
If your tooth is diseased, the infection can cause tooth decay and weaken the infected tooth making it susceptible to cracking – even if minimal force is applied.
Aging
As we get older, the tooth gets worn down from use and/or infection. Older individuals are more likely to get a cracked tooth. This is especially true for people who haven’t worked hard to maintain their oral health.
Symptoms of a Cracked Tooth
Many times someone can have a cracked tooth and experience no symptoms. This is true especially if the crack is shallow and small.
For many, there are symptoms and those symptoms can be painful. Typical symptoms of a cracked tooth include:
- Sensitivity to hot and cold
- Pain when biting down
- Loosening of the tooth
- Swelling and redness in the gum tissue surrounding the tooth
- General pain in your mouth, teeth and gums
Cracked Tooth Treatment
Our Fort Collins Dentist Dr. Murphy will bring you in for an exam to closely analyze your cracked tooth and determine what treatment plan will work best for you.
As part of the diagnostic process, our dentist will likely:
- Take an x-ray of the tooth to see the full extent of the crack and determine if it’s reached the pulp. A crack reaching the pulp will likely necessitate a root canal
- Check the sensitivity of the tooth to heat, cold, and pressure
- Look for any other signs of damage to the tooth
- Examine your bite and determine whether or not you feel pain
Depending on the crack, there are a variety of treatment options that may be recommended. The tooth may be able to be preserved with dental bonding, a dental crown, porcelain veneers, or even root canal therapy.
With more extreme cracks, tooth extraction may become necessary. In this case, dental implants would likely be recommended to prevent damage to adjacent teeth as a result of the tooth removal.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cracked Teeth
Is There Any Way to Fix a Cracked Tooth at Home?
Unfortunately, no. If you have cracked your tooth, there is no reliable home remedy to fix your tooth. If you have a cracked tooth, you can use an ice pack to reduce swelling and use over-the-counter medicines for pain relief.
You should call our Fort Collins dental office as soon as possible to diagnose the extent of the damage and determine what kind of treatment is necessary.
If you leave a cracked tooth untreated, it can lead to a number of more serious dental problems down the road.
What Should I Do if My Tooth is Cracked Under a Crown?
Call our Fort Collins Dental office as soon as possible. Our dentist will look at your tooth and come up with an appropriate treatment option for your specific situation. In some cases, the crown can be removed, the tooth treated and a new crown placed on top. In other cases, tooth extraction may become necessary. The extracted tooth should be replaced with dental implants.
How Much Does it Cost to Fix a Cracked Tooth?
There is no easy answer to this question as the extent and severity of a cracked tooth can vary widely. This means that there are many different treatment options. Dental bonding may effectively seal the crack and prevent further problems for smaller cracks. Larger, more significant cracks may require more invasive and costly procedures like root canal therapy or even dental implants.
Will My Insurance Company Cover the Cost of a Cracked Tooth?
Most insurance companies will at least partially cover the cost of treating the cracked tooth of a patient. We have a team of insurance experts at Murphy Dental with a wealth of patient information resources. Call our dentistry with your insurance plan information and we will tell you exactly what dental services your insurance will cover.
How Long Can a Cracked Tooth Go Untreated?
It depends on the crack. Some cracks are superficial and may not cause problems – but even these smaller cracks can cause problems over time. A small, relatively minor crack can open the door to infection by bacteria and a much more significantly damaged tooth.
The problem is that without a dental exam, there’s no way for you to really know how big of a threat the crack is. Even if you think your cracked tooth is minor, you should call our Fort Collins Dental office for an exam and treatment.
It may turn out that your crack is small and is able to be easily treated before it turns into a painful, expensive dental procedure.
