Why people get cracked or broken teeth
Do you know what one of the strongest tissue areas in your body is? The enamel that covers your teeth. Unfortunately, it can still break or crack.
Teeth can be damaged in many ways. Maybe you were doing something you probably shouldn’t have, like playing football without a mouth guard or chewing on a pencil. Or maybe you suffered a traumatic fall, crash, or blow.
If you are prone to or have tooth decay or cavities, these can also weaken your teeth. This may cause them to be more likely to break in situations like the listed above.
Types of cracked teeth
There are several types of cracked teeth that exist:
- Craze lines are tiny cracks that only affect the outer enamel. These types of cracks are common for adults. Craze lines do not cause pain, mainly because they are so shallow. The only issue with these is the cosmetic concern if they are in a noticeable tooth or tooth with a dental crown.
- A fractured cusp happens when a piece of a tooth’s chewing surface breaks off. Again, this normally does not cause a lot of pain, and there are easy ways to fix the tooth’s broken piece.
- Cracked teeth are slightly more concerning. The specific definition of a cracked tooth means a crack extends from the chewing surface vertically toward the root. In order to be able to save the tooth, you will want to get this issue diagnosed early on. A cracked tooth left untreated will get worse as time goes by and can ultimately result in the loss of the tooth.
- Split tooth. A split tooth is usually the result of a long-term cracked tooth. It is identified by a crack with distinct segments that can be separated. A split tooth cannot be saved intact.
- Vertical root fracture. These cracks begin in the root of the tooth and extend toward the chewing surface. Often, they show minimal signs and symptoms. Many times, they are discovered when the surrounding bone and gum become infected.
There are a variety of circumstances that could lead to a crack in your tooth or dental crown. Maybe you feel off a bike? Perhaps your child accidentally hit you with one of their toys? Maybe, you were enjoying a fall candy apple, and it was a little harder than your teeth liked? Regardless of the circumstance, our team can help repair those cracks and breaks.
At Premier Family Dentistry, a number of patients with broken or chipped teeth come through our doors. Our experienced team of dentists, as well as our excellent staff, knows how to handle this type of situation.
We are able to use restorative and cosmetic procedures to repair damaged teeth. The right treatment for you will depend on how badly your tooth is damaged. But, you do have options, and advancements today mean you don’t have to live with unattractive teeth.
