4402 E 32nd St Suite B, Joplin, MO 64804, United States
Cracked Teeth Aftercare
You have a commonly occurring problem in one or more of your teeth. Several factors cause teeth to crack. Over time, the normal use of your teeth places a great deal of stress on them. Also chewing ice, hard foods and inadvertently biting on an unexpected hard object can cause a tooth to crack. Teeth filled with silver amalgam, especially large fillings, are the most susceptible to cracks. It is important to treat cracked teeth as soon as possible. Usually when a tooth begins to crack, there will be no noticeable symptoms. As the crack progresses, you may experience the following symptoms.
Symptoms indicating a cracked tooth:
You feel a twinge or sharp discomfort that immediately goes away when you are not chewing.
Cold causes discomfort or pain.
When eating sweets, you get a twinge or pain.
Your tooth may feel “weak” when you chew.
Treatment Recommendations:
Simple Crack: When taken care of early, the majority of cracked teeth can be treated by the placement of a crown (cap) on the tooth. The tooth is prepared and a temporary healing crown is placed. Usually the symptoms improve immediately. It is best to have the permanent crown placed as soon as possible.
Complex Crack: Sometimes the crack goes deep into the nerve of the tooth. If you still have symptoms after the placement of the temporary crown, please inform us. The tooth may require additional treatment such as a root canal or in a limited number of cases, an extraction may be necessary.
A cracked tooth is like a cracked windshield. The crack continues to progress deep into the tooth making treatment necessary. If you have further questions about your cracked tooth, please don’t hesitate to ask.
