You should never wait to fix your chipped or cracked tooth, even if you aren’t experiencing any
pain. Here’s why you should make an appointment to get your injured tooth looked at!

Evaluate Tooth for Further Damage

When your tooth has been chipped or cracked, the best course of action is to have it evaluated
by a professional dentist for damage you can’t see. The crack may run deeper than you think
and can even compromise tooth structure, making your tooth more susceptible to future chips
and cracks.

This evaluation also serves to protect your affected tooth from further harm. When you get
your injured tooth treated promptly, you reduce the chances that something else will happen
to your tooth that could cause infection, discoloration, or the need for additional treatment.

The Damage May Affect Your Tooth’s Nerve

The nerves of our teeth rest in the center of the tooth protected by a layer of dentin and a layer
of enamel to keep bacteria out. If your crack or chip is large enough to affect the nerve tissue of your tooth, there is a higher risk for infection as you’re exposing the center of your tooth to bacteria and food particles.

If the crack or chip is deep, the nerve inside your tooth can become infected and die, causing
your tooth to become discolored and eventually leading to the need for a root canal. You
should never wait to seek treatment for a chipped or cracked tooth

When Should You Seek Treatment?

For some people, a cracked or chipped tooth is not painful and so they forgo treatment. By the
time their affected tooth does start to hurt, typically an infection has set in and the tooth may
not be able to be saved.

Although a cracked or chipped tooth isn’t considered a dental emergency, you shouldn’t wait
more than a day or two to seek treatment. It’s always a good idea to contact your dentist to
describe the problem and make an appointment for an evaluation as soon as it happens.

However, if your tooth has cracked to the point that it is jagged, causing extreme pain, or
bleeding, you should see the dentist sooner. In the meantime, salt water rinses and over-the-
counter pain medication may help your discomfort. Always treat an injured tooth with care
until you can get to the dentist.

Treatment options include dental bonding, which is simple and painless, or if your damage is
extensive, a dental crown.

Don’t let your cracked or chipped tooth go to the point that you need root canal therapy to
save your tooth. Evaluation and treatment today can prevent future dental problems and might
just save your smile! If you’ve cracked or chipped a tooth, don’t delay in reaching out to your
dentist for an appointment!

The post Should I Fix My Chipped or Cracked Tooth or Can It Wait? appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.

Why May a Damaged Tooth Turn Black or Gray?

Much like other parts of your body, your teeth can bleed internally after an injury. The blood leaks in through the dental nerves and discolors the pulp of the tooth. The cause of tooth discoloration is usually due to blood getting into the pulp of the tooth. Darkening can continue over several days, weeks, or even months if allowed unchecked. A damaged tooth, however, doesn’t need to end up becoming a dead tooth. Here is a way that your dentist can help.

Pulp Removal Can Recover Your Tooth

Pulp removal, or a root canal, may actually reverse the color change. Since the pulp of the tooth has become stained, leading to the change in color, removing the dead or damaged pulp can restore your natural brightness. You will want an experienced dentist to carry out this process so that the stained dentin can be carefully removed.

Does My Child Need a Root Canal?

Most of the time, the color will return to a child’s tooth within a few days. If this does not occur, it is a good idea to see an endodontist. If the tooth is not one of the child’s permanent teeth, consideration will be given to whether or not the damage will affect the tooth falling out naturally. If your child already has his or her permanent teeth, a root canal may save them from the embarrassment of a dead tooth.

Pearly Whites Despite an Injury

Anyone can fall, get into an accident, or in some other way end up with a discolored tooth. The secret is not to allow time for the damage to continue and spread. Your dentist can help you to restore your tooth back to its natural color using a root canal.

While a scar may be considered a good conversation piece, a black tooth is not something that anyone wants to have. If you’ve been injured, see if your dentist can fix the problem with a root canal. Before long, you’ll be back to smiling widely for the camera.

The post Tooth Discoloration After Trauma: What’s Next? appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.

Can a Split Tooth Be Saved Intact?

The short answer is no, but before you surf to another site to get a second opinion, give us a moment to explain the difference between a split tooth and a cracked tooth (which can be saved). We will also discuss treatment options for a split tooth that may, depending on the location of the split, be able to preserve part of the tooth.

The Difference Between Split and Cracked

A cracked tooth starts at the surface of the tooth and extends downward vertically. Sometimes the crack may even reach below the gum line! With the help of a root canal and a full crown, the tooth can be salvaged. However, what happens if the crack continues downward and completely through the tooth- separating it into two segments?

This is now called a split tooth. This generally occurs when some has a cracked tooth for a long time, and either ignores it or perhaps never realizes the crack has occurred. Often, extraction is the only treatment option. Endodontic options, however, may be available if the tooth is split off to one side, leaving the majority of the tooth intact. What can be done?

Endodontic Treatment for a Split Tooth

If only a small portion of the tooth is split from the rest, the tooth still cannot be saved intact, but the larger portion of the tooth may be salvaged. The procedure may involve a root canal, gum surgery, removal of the part of the tooth that has broken away, and other forms of endodontic treatment.

In the end, a permanent crown may be able to preserve the larger portion of the tooth. Again, this is entirely dependent on the extent and location of the split. Thus, if you know that you have a cracked tooth, it is far better to take preventative care and visit a dentist early before a situation becomes worse. Your endodontist is hear to help!

The post Exploring Endodontics: Split vs. Cracked Teeth appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.

Losing a healthy tooth due to accident or injury requires quick action. When a tooth comes out in one piece, rinse it in water, trying not to handle the root end of the tooth. Very gently, try to put the tooth back in place in your mouth. If this is not possible, put it in a glass of milk or salt water. Get to the dentist immediately: The tooth is more likely to be able to be restored if you see the dentist within an hour.

If you chip or break a tooth, try to save any large broken pieces. They may be able to be reattached to the tooth, but in some cases a crown or other restoration materials may be necessary to rebuild the tooth. Rinse your mouth with water and tend to any injuries to your mouth or face. See the dentist as soon as possible.

Sometimes a toothache can be an emergency situation if the pain is severe or comes on suddenly. If you have something caught between your teeth that you cannot remove with dental floss, whether or not this is causing pain, you should see the dentist. You should see the dentist for a toothache even if it is not severe. A toothache that lasts for a day or more could be an indication of a serious problem inside the tooth.

If you lose a filling, break a crown, or wear braces and have broken wires or brackets, you should get to the dentist as soon as possible to have the issue fixed. Any sore or abscess in or around the mouth requires a trip to the dentist.

A lost or broken tooth requires immediate action and a trip to a dentist within an hour if possible. Other serious situations like toothache or lost fillings can wait a day or two, but the faster you get to the dentist, the sooner pain will be relieved and the healthier your teeth and mouth will be.

The post Handling Your Dental Emergency the Right Way appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.

The process of getting a cracked or chipped tooth repaired can be relatively simple if you get to the dentist as soon as possible after first noticing the problem. If you chip your teeth and one full piece comes off, it may be possible for the dentist to reattach the piece to your tooth. When this is not possible, a white filling or a crown can replace the missing portion of the tooth.

A white filling can be made to match the color of your teeth and it can repair a small chip or broken piece of tooth. When a larger portion of the tooth needs to be replaced, a crown is usually used. This is an artificial “cap” that covers the tooth fully. Crowns can also be chosen in a particular shade that will match your other teeth.

A cracked tooth that has been repaired should function like a normal, healthy tooth. Repairing the tooth will also stop any pain and prevent the tooth from weakening. Most importantly, it will prevent a crack from spreading below the gum line and necessitating an extraction. A lost tooth would have to be replaced by a denture or implant, either of which is more involved than repairing a crack or chip.

You can decrease the likelihood of cracking or chipping a tooth by using a mouthguard when participating in sports, avoiding chewing on ice or hard objects like pencils and avoiding clenching or grinding your teeth.

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