Treating Cracked Teeth

Do you have a visible or suspected crack in your tooth? Diagnosing cracked teeth isn’t always as easy as you might think it is. The way they’re treated depends on the severity and location of the crack.

Bonding or Filling

“Craze lines” are a type of surface crack that doesn’t usually cause structural damage to your teeth, but you may notice them in the mirror (especially since they tend to pick up stain.) Small cracks like chipped enamel can be bonded or filled over if needed for aesthetic purposes.

Dental Crowns

Moderate cracks in your tooth can’t be patched over with a filling. Getting a crown will protect the tooth underneath, so that everyday pressure from biting and chewing doesn’t allow the crack to get any worse.

Root Canal Treatment

Deep cracks that extend further into the tooth allow bacteria to enter the nerve chamber, which can lead to an abscess. Covering the tooth with a filling or crown would seal in the infection and allow the crack to keep “running” down the tooth. Instead, a root canal can help hold things together while preventing a painful abscess.

Extracting Your Tooth

Severe cracks that extend through the root of your tooth can cause pain every time you eat, because of the uneven pressure when you chew. Since there’s not really a way to repair a tooth that’s split in two, it’s best to have the entire structure extracted. Doing so prevents trauma to surrounding bone and gum tissues.

After your tooth is removed, our Port Melbourne dentists can place an implant or bridge in the area to fill in the open space that’s left.

Think You Have a Cracked Tooth?

Schedule an exam at PMD Dental Care if you have pain when you’re biting and chewing. Our Port Melbourne dentists are here to help you save your smile!