Cracked Tooth? Here Are Your Options
No matter how hard you focus on maintaining your oral health hygiene, some things are unavoidable. Case in point: accidents happen. Sure, you can hide yourself away from the world, avoid physical activity that could put your teeth at risk, and even change your diet in a futile effort to prevent broken or chipped teeth. But here’s the thing: accidents still occur! Take a cracked tooth, for example. All it takes is one bad bite of your favorite food, or stumbling over your own feet, and you could find yourself with a cracked tooth. Since you can’t always avoid accidents, it is vital to know how to deal with your injured tooth to prevent further damage. And that means understanding your options.
Dental Bonding
Bonding is the least invasive option and is an effective treatment for many minor injuries. Your dentist will use a composite resin material to repair the cracked tooth, providing a relatively quick remedy to the problem. While bonding is convenient and tooth-like in appearance, it lacks the strength and durability you can enjoy with other types of dental repairs. That’s why dentists typically reserve this option for minor cracks, or for teeth that are not usually under great pressure when you’re eating.
Root Canal
Ah, the much-maligned root canal. No one wants one, but sometimes there are no good alternatives. If your crack has damaged the interior of the tooth to the point where it impacts the pulp, then chances are that you’ll need a root canal to relieve potential inflammation and infection that might threaten the entire tooth.
Crown
Dental crowns may be a good option as well. If the crack is large, a crown may be the best way to protect the tooth. Since porcelain is stronger than the composite resin used in bonding, a crown can offer greater security and durability over time. Crowns are useful regardless of whether the crack has extended to the root, making them an important solution for many more serious forms of tooth injury.
Implants
The most serious type of crack is one that extends down below the gumline. These types of injuries cannot generally be repaired, and instead require removal of the broken tooth. When that happens, a dental implant may be used to replace the tooth and restore your appearance and full dental function. Your dental professionals with implant an anchor in the gap where the tooth used to be, and a crown can then be affixed to the anchor to replace the missing tooth.
At Ebenezer Dental, we understand how distressing a cracked tooth can be, and are thus committed to ensuring that our patients fully understand the available options for resolving cracks and other types of serious tooth damage. Our caring staff will work with you to ensure that you can make an informed decision about treatment in a comfortable, stress-free environment. Give us a call today to schedule your next dental appointment with the best dentist in midtown Manhattan.