As a young mother, I was reasonably ignorant when raising my firstborn. My biggest regret is that I didn't help her take better care of her teeth. Like many people, I didn't realise the importance of baby teeth, resulting in long-term dental problems. Recently, my daughter got married and some of my tears were for the beautiful, glistening smile she presented to the cameras. Ever since I realised the dental damage I had caused, I had been saving for my daughter to have cosmetic dentistry. The results are remarkable. During the course of this journey, I have learnt a lot about caring for children's teeth and corrective procedures that can be undertaken when issues arise. I am sure many of you would be interested in the latest knowledge and techniques that are available to prevent and repair dental complications. I'm Margret Devlin - thanks for visiting.
It's possible to crack one of your teeth and not be aware of it. The pain may not be constant and can seemingly be triggered by eating, with the two sections of the tooth pressing against each other to compress the nerve at the centre of the tooth. Additionally, the tooth will become incredibly responsive to the temperatures of food and drink—with particularly cold food (like frozen treats) capable of triggering extreme pain. Don't delay seeking treatment. Contact an emergency dentistry clinic for an immediate assessment.
Vertical Fracture
Delaying treatment for any type of dental trauma isn't smart, even if the damage was not sustained recently. A cracked tooth is especially problematic, as there's the possibility that the crack will extend down into the tooth's subgingival region (which is the tooth structure beneath the gum line). If the crack should develop into a vertical root fracture, the tooth cannot be saved and must be extracted. Clearly, you want to avoid this outcome.
Extreme Toothache
The risk of tooth loss aside, your pain is likely to increase to intolerable levels. Seek emergency treatment. The sooner the tooth is restored, the less intensive the tooth's restoration needs to be. However, firstly your emergency dentist must locate the crack. This is not as straightforward as it seems. A crack may not be visibly obvious, so your dentist will conduct a bite test.
Bite Testing
A bite test involves biting down on a soft object (cotton balls are commonly used) before releasing it. This is performed on the cusp (biting surface) of each tooth in succession until the culprit is discovered. Your dentist may wish to confirm the location of the crack by shining a special fibre optic light into your mouth and viewing the tooth with a magnification tool. Now that the crack has been located, what happens next?
Filling the Crack
The size and depth of the crack (and whether it has totally penetrated your tooth's surface enamel) inform the nature of your treatment. Smaller surface cracks can be corrected with a filling, and this involves tooth-coloured resin. It's durable, blends into the rest of the tooth, and the results are immediate (with the tooth's sensitivity reducing exponentially following the procedure). Deeper cracks may require a dental crown, and your own dentist is best equipped for this. You'll receive a temporary filling to protect the tooth and relieve your pain before being referred back to your regular dentist so your ceramic crown can be prepared.
A cracked tooth has the potential to become a lost tooth and can be shockingly painful. Please do yourself a favour and don't delay seeking treatment.
Share12 July 2023
