When a tooth cracks
A cracked tooth can hurt when you chew, when you let go of a bite, or when you have something hot or cold. The pain often comes and goes, which can make the cause hard to find.
When you chew, the cracked pieces of the tooth move and irritate the pulp, the soft tissue inside it. When you release the bite, the crack closes quickly, and that is the sharp pain you feel. Left alone, the pulp is eventually damaged and the tooth hurts all the time, even when you are not chewing. A crack can also let infection into the pulp, and from there into the bone and gums around the tooth.
We check every crack, because the right repair helps you keep the tooth and avoid an infection. The repair depends on how far the crack runs:
- A small crack can often be repaired with a filling or a crown.
- A crack that reaches the pulp may need a root canal, then a crown.
- A crack that runs below the gum line into the root usually means the tooth has to come out. We then talk with you about replacing it with a bridge or an implant.
If the tooth now hurts all the time, even when you are not chewing, treat it as a dental emergency.
When a tooth is missing
A missing tooth changes how your smile looks, and you may notice a difference in how you chew and speak. A bridge fills the gap with one or more artificial teeth, usually held in place by the teeth on either side, so keeping those teeth healthy matters.
A bridge is one of several ways to replace missing teeth, along with dentures and dental implants. At your exam, we go through all of your options with you, so you can choose the one that works best for you.
If you already have implants, we check them each time we see you and restore them when they need it.
