If left untreated, cracked teeth can lead to decay or an infection that can compromise the health of your entire tooth. If your dentist finds that your tooth has indeed been cracked, what are your best options to repair it and get your smile back to normal?

Dental Bonding

For cracks that are minor, dental bonding can help restore teeth. Dental bonding involves using a tooth-colored composite resin—the same material used for many modern fillings—to fill in small cracks and protect teeth from further damage.

Dental bonding is a simple and minimally-invasive treatment option; however, your dentist may not recommend dental bonding if the crack in your tooth is more severe.

Fillings

In some cases, cracked teeth can also be repaired with fillings, similarly to cavities. Cusps, or points, on the teeth—of which canine teeth only have one while molars will have several—can be fractured or completely broken off. In cases such as these, dental fillings can be ideal for repairing fractured cusps and restoring your tooth [1].

Root Canal Therapy

If you have a tooth that’s been deeply cracked—such as a tooth with a crack that extends below the gumline—your dentist may recommend root canal therapy. Teeth with cracks such as these—commonly the lower molars—can benefit from root canal therapy [2]. A cracked tooth may be at risk for infection or already be infected, in which case, root canal therapy will offer you your best chance to save your tooth and avoid an extraction.

Dental Crowns

For patients that have a severely fractured tooth cusp or for those that have received root canal therapy, your dentist may utilize a dental crown to protect your tooth’s structure. Dental crowns have been shown to reduce symptoms of cracked teeth and help protect them from future cracks and other damage [3].

Dental crowns are either made from porcelain ceramic or acrylic resin and will act as a type of cap that covers your natural tooth and provides additional protection. Dental crowns are durable and match your natural teeth, making them useful for a variety of cracked tooth cases.

Do You Have a Cracked Tooth?

Symptoms of a cracked tooth could include pain, tooth sensitivity, or swelling around the affected area. If you suspect your tooth has sustained an injury, it’s time to schedule an appointment with your local dentist to evaluate your smile and get a potential repair!

Sources:
1. https://www.aae.org/patients/dental-symptoms/cracked-teeth/
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26944835
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1918671

The post Your Best Options for Repairing a Cracked Tooth appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.

Sustaining a tooth injury has the potential to create different types of cracks in your tooth.
Since fractured teeth can lead to tooth loss, you shouldn’t delay getting treatment from your dentist. How do you know if you have a cracked tooth and how can you treat it?

How to Tell If Your Tooth Is Cracked

A cracked tooth may not be obvious even if you do have an accident that affects your smile.

However, the pain may manifest itself through tooth sensitivity or pain when chewing or biting your food. For others, a cracked tooth may be asymptomatic depending on the location and severity of the crack.

There are numerous diagnostic methods your dentist may use to tell if you have a cracked
tooth, including an oral exam or a radiograph [1]. Even if you’re not aware of a tooth injury, your dentist may be able to tell if you have a cracked tooth during your regular dental exam as well.

How to Treat a Fractured Tooth

Treatment for your cracked tooth will depend on the location of the crack and how severe it is.

For instance, you may have fractured the biting surface of your tooth, which typically doesn’t cause damage to the inside of the tooth where nerve tissue lies. However, your dentist may still need to place a filling or a crown over the tooth to keep it safe from bacteria and decay and prevent future damage [2].

If the crack extends below the gumline and all the way to the tooth’s root, it’s likely that you’ll need root canal therapy to save your tooth and stop the crack from spreading even more. If you have a split tooth that completely separates the tooth into two or more pieces, an extraction may be your only treatment option.

If you’ve just recently cracked a tooth and have a piece that may have separated from the
intact tooth, be sure to save the tooth fragment in a container with saliva or milk and see your dentist as soon as possible [3].

Preventing Damage to Your Smile

Preventing cracked teeth is as easy as not misusing your smile for things like cracking nuts, chewing on ice, or opening packages. Cracked teeth can also be caused by teeth grinding, so if you wake up with headaches, an aching jaw, or sore teeth, it’s time to see your dentist.

Of course, accidents do happen and can cause tooth fractures that negatively impact your smile. Regardless of what’s caused your cracked tooth, getting prompt treatment from your dentist can help restore your tooth and prevent the need for additional treatment.

While having a cracked tooth isn’t the end of the world, it will require professional treatment from your dentist. If you’ve experienced a recent tooth injury or have an old injury that’s causing you discomfort, contact your dentist for an evaluation as soon as possible!

Sources:
1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3467890/
2. https://www.aae.org/patients/dental-symptoms/cracked-teeth/
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4590084/

The post Detecting and Treating a Cracked Tooth appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.

Fortunately, there are many brilliant dentists out there who offer services for the entire family
to receive their dental care in just one location. Here’s how you can begin the process of
choosing the right dentist for you and your family.

Ask About Insurance and Payment Plans

An important first step is determining if practice accepts your dental insurance. If they do
accept your insurance, this is great. If not, you’ll need to evaluate whether or not you want to
pursue this dentist or find one who does accept your insurance.

In the event that you don’t have dental insurance, ask your potential family dentist if they’ll
accept payment plans or whether or not they accept a dental discount plan or credit from a
third party such as CareCredit. Having flexibility in the event that your insurance carrier changes
is helpful even if they initially accept your insurance.

Consider Their Location and Hours

Before you consider the dentist and the practice, you’ll want to consider location and hours
first. This is because both the location and their hours of operation will tell you how likely you
are to be able to make appointments.

For example, do they offer weekend hours and time after traditional business hours to
accommodate your busy schedule? Are they located nearby, and not in an area where traffic
would be an issue?

When you take into account the practice’s convenience based on your schedule, you’re better
able to evaluate the likelihood that you’ll be able to keep appointments.

Talk to the Dentist and the Staff

Once you’re able to verify that a location and hours of operation will work for you as well as
whether or not they take your insurance, it’s time to actually visit the practice. You can even
bring along the kids to see how comfortable everyone is there when talking to the dentists as
well as the staff members.

You want to choose a dentist that you feel comfortable talking to, asking questions, and calling
when you need advice. Your family should feel good about communicating with them too, so
don’t hesitate to make an appointment to simply visit and see what everyone thinks!

Don’t Forget Emergencies

Emergencies are unfortunately a part of life. Ask the dentist about their emergency policy—will
they come in after hours to treat you or your child, will they have the flexibility to get you in for
an emergency, or if they can’t, do they provide a referral to another dentist or just advise you
to go to the emergency room?

You may also consider their memberships to professional organizations, what type of
continuing education they do and how often, and their experience with up-and-coming dental
tools such as laser dentistry. Don’t be afraid to ask questions during your visit!

When it comes to finding the right dentist, don’t underestimate the importance of having a
great fit for the entire family, even if you need to visit a few dentists before you find the one
that feels right. You can have the best dental care and convenience with your dentist of choice!

The post How to Choose the Right Dentist for You and Your Family appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.

In fact, it’s easier than you think to chip or crack a tooth. While injuries such as these can
happen for a variety of reasons to teeth, some of the most common reasons people chip their
teeth is because of food!

If you’re not careful, some of these top foods can easily chip or fracture your tooth. Which
foods are most likely to hurt your smile?

Uncooked Popcorn

Although popcorn in and of itself isn’t an issue, uncooked popcorn kernels can quickly chip or
fracture a tooth. Often, uncooked kernels get mixed in with cooked popcorn and are therefore
likely to get eaten along with popped popcorn.

It’s imperative to never chew on uncooked or partially cooked popcorn kernels, whether by
accident or because the popcorn bowl is empty and you want to continue to munch!

Ice Cubes

Many people find chewing on ice to be a practice they enjoy, but unfortunately, it’s also one
that can crack or chip your teeth.

When it comes to ice, it’s best to leave this hard cold substance in your glass and let it cool your
drink, not damage your smile!

Candy

Hard candy is a favorite for many people to suck on. However, this hard food doesn’t just
contribute to tooth decay, it also can crack or chip your pearly whites!

Lollipops, caramel corn, jawbreakers, and even mints all have the potential to chip your teeth. If
you do choose to eat candy, always be mindful when it’s in your mouth and do your best not to
bite down on it!

Nut Shells

While nuts themselves have the potential to injure teeth, nut shells are also culprits. These nuts
include pistachios, peanuts, pecans, macadamia nuts, and walnuts. You should never bite down
on the shells of these nuts as they can crack or chip teeth.

Instead, always use care when eating nuts and never attempt to crack open a nut shell with
your teeth!

Stone Fruit Pits (Drupes)

A drupe is a fruit that contains a very hard pit, also known as stone fruits. These fruits include:
 Peaches
 Apricots
 Olives
 Plums
 Cherries
 Mangoes

All of these fruits have the potential to hurt your teeth. If you choose to enjoy these fruits, be
aware that their stone pits can crack or chip your smile. Many olives come pitted while most of
the other fruits can be sliced before enjoying. If you do choose to bite into them, always be
aware of where the pit is so that you don’t accidentally damage your teeth.

A tooth that’s been chipped or cracked still needs to be evaluated by your professional dentist.
Any injury to your teeth can allow bacteria to enter and possibly reach the nerves of your tooth
which could cause pain and infection. Never wait to seek help for an injured tooth, and never
eat these foods without being cautious!

The post Careful! Top Foods That May Chip or Fracture Your Teeth appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.

Depending on the severity of your cracked tooth, your treatment may be cosmetic or it may
require an additional procedure to save your tooth. What happens once you crack a tooth?
Here’s what you need to know.

Tooth Bonding

If the crack in your tooth only extends as far as the enamel, you may be able to forgo treatment
or you may need tooth bonding.

Tooth bonding—also called dental bonding—is a form of treatment in which a tooth-colored
resin is bonded to your tooth to protect it from further damage as well as to fill in chips and
cracks.

Tooth bonding will not be ideal for every cracked tooth, but it can be used to repair certain
cracks and stop them from getting worse. Visiting your dentist can help you determine if this
treatment is for you!

Root Canal

When a crack extends beyond the enamel and into the softer tissues of the teeth, it’s likely that
you’ll need root canal therapy to prevent an infection in your tooth. When a crack leads inside
the tooth, it can be a gateway for bacteria and food particles to enter your tooth and cause an
infection.

Depending on your unique case, your dentist may recommend root canal therapy with a dental
crown affixed to the end of the tooth to protect it from further damage. During a root canal,
your dentist will remove the inner pulp of your tooth to prevent an infection, or if the crack has
been present for some time, remove a potentially ongoing infection.

Since cracks have the potential to spread, it’s important to secure protection for the tooth in
order to avoid an extraction and save your natural tooth.

Extraction

In the event that the crack in your tooth leads below the gumline, your tooth may need to be
extracted. These are cracks that extend vertically down the tooth and towards the tooth’s root
and may be referred to as a split tooth.

In many cases, a split tooth is the result of a crack that’s been there for some time and has
extended down the tooth. Unfortunately, for many patients, the tooth in question will need to
be removed to prevent infection.

If you notice a crack in your tooth, getting it evaluated by a dentist as soon as possible can help
you receive the treatment you need to save your tooth!

Whether you have a superficial crack in your teeth or a deeper crack that’s causing you pain
and discomfort, it’s important to get in to see your dentist as soon as possible. In some cases, a
cracked tooth is considered an emergency and should be evaluated that same day. Getting
prompt treatment can help you protect your cracked tooth to save your smile!

The post Cracked Tooth? Here’s What May Come Next appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.

When it comes to mouthguards, you have a couple of options: the first is to buy one at the store, which tends to be relatively inexpensive and is easy enough to pick up. Your second option is to get a custom-fit mouthguard at your dentist’s office.

Why would you opt for a custom-fit mouthguard from your dentist? Here’s why you should absolutely invest in a custom mouthguard for your child!

Better Protect Your Child

Custom mouthguards offer an advanced level of protection that store-bought ones just can’t provide. A custom-fit mouthguard is made to specifically fit your child’s mouth and to protect each tooth. Generic, store-bought mouthguards are usually one-size-fits-all, and no two people have the same mouth!

Store-bought mouthguards are also less durable and tend to wear out quickly, meaning you’ll need to replace them more often in order to keep protecting your child’s smile. With custom-fit mouthguards from your dentist, the strength and durability of these quality mouthguards will protect your child’s smile for seasons to come.

Custom-Fit Means More Comfort

Since custom-fit mouthguards are made just for your child, they fit perfectly and tend to be much more comfortable than generic mouthguards. Often bulky and too big, store-bought mouthguards can be uncomfortable at best and painful at worst, making it less likely that your child will actually wear it during sports.

Even worse, these mouthguards have the potential to hinder your child’s breathing. When you invest in a custom-fit mouthguard, your child can breathe properly, eliminate distraction during sports, and fully protect your child’s smile.

Prevent Injury to the Head and Mouth

Custom-fit mouthguards provide the best protection for your child. They are made to properly absorb the impact of a blow to keep your child’s teeth safe. In fact, some research shows that mouthguards may actually be able to prevent concussions by absorbing the blow and preventing your child’s jaw or skull from being injured.

When you consider that a custom-fit mouthguard is your best chance to protect your child’s teeth from injury, it makes sense to make the investment. Often, these mouthguards are more affordable than people think and when you consider dental work or an emergency room visit if your child’s mouth is injured, they seem very affordable indeed!

Are you considering a custom mouthguard for your child’s sport season? You can schedule an appointment with your dentist to discuss your options. When it comes to your child’s smile, you can provide them with the utmost level of protection and keep them comfortable and safe during sports, making the season fun for everyone!

The post Should My Child Wear a Custom-Fit Mouthguard During Sports? appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.

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.

However, there are few sports that exist without the risk for injury. Even sports deemed to be relatively safe such as soccer and volleyball can cause injury to your smile.

So what can you do to prevent teeth damage while playing sports? Here are your top picks for protection.

Custom Mouthguards

Mouthguards are the number one way to protect your teeth during sports. Although there are many mouthguards available over the counter, your best bet for optimal protection will be a custom mouthguard. Custom mouthguards are made at your dentist office specifically for your smile. This means there’s minimal room for harm because every tooth is protected.

Mouthguards are required in many children’s sports and are recommended for sports such as basketball, hockey, football, lacrosse, softball, volleyball, wresting, and boxing. Never forgo a mouthguard during contact sports—it could save your smile by absorbing the impact and protecting your teeth!

Wear a Helmet

Helmets are required for some sports and recommended during others. Although designed to protect your head, helmets do the job of protecting your smile in the event of a head injury. Whether it’s a few knocked-out teeth or a broken jaw, helmets are absolutely worth the investment for the following sports:

Rugby
Horseback riding
Skateboarding
Sledding or skiing
Football
Baseball
Bicycling

Wearing a helmet during these sports can protect your smile in the event that injury occurs!

Healthy Teeth Are Strong Teeth

Teeth that are healthy and strong will naturally be more resistant to injury than those that are weak from decay or gum disease. Getting regular checkups with your dentist can ensure that your teeth are strong and healthy.

Your dentist can also fit you for a custom mouthguard during your appointment. It’s always important to protect your smile when it comes to sports—both on and off the field!

Keep an Emergency Kit

Preventing injuries to your teeth is advisable but in some cases, accidents still happen and teeth can still be injured. It’s wise to keep an emergency kit with you for this reason. In your emergency kit, you should have the names and numbers of nearby dentists who may be able to see you for an emergency visit. If they cannot, go to your local emergency room.

You can also keep:

Cotton absorbers such as cotton balls and gauze
A cold compress that can be activated on site
Alcohol wipes to clean the site
Ibuprofen for pain
A container for a knocked-out tooth

Make sure to talk with your dentist before doing anything to the site beyond controlling the bleeding!

Tooth injuries during sports can be as minor as a chipped tooth or as severe as a broken jaw. Preventing injuries is the best way to stop them—but when an accident happens, be prepared. Always wear a mouthguard or a helmet as appropriate for your sport, keep your smile healthy, and have an emergency kit on hand!

The post How Can I Prevent Teeth Damage While Playing Sports? appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.

Make a Dentist Appointment

Although it might feel like your tooth is fine at the moment, you need to make a dentist appointment right away. Call and tell them what happened and ask when they can fit you in. The following suggestions will only last a few days at the absolute most. You need to get your tooth repaired as soon as possible!

Make Use of Dental Cement

Over-the-counter dental cement can usually be found at your local pharmacy. If you apply this to your filling, it can substitute as a protective layer if your dentist appointment is a couple days away. If you had a crown placed over your filling and it came loose, you can try to fit the crown over the tooth. If you choose to do this, it’s imperative that you clean the crown first. You can also use the dental cement to temporarily “glue” your crown back on.

Try Clove Oil for Pain

Since your cavity is the result of eroded enamel, your affected tooth is going to be pretty sensitive. You may experience a mild pain from temperature or exposure, or it may be intense. To help cope with the pain, you can try clove essential oil. It’s relatively inexpensive and can be found at most supermarkets. Dab a very small amount—about a Q-Tip size—onto your cavity to help ease your tooth pain.

Keep Your Mouth Clean

It’s important to keep your mouth clean while your filling is exposed. You don’t want any food particles or bacteria making a home in there. Carefully remove food debris, brush gently around the area, and try to chew on the opposite side of your mouth. You may also choose to rinse with warm salt water, which may help ease pain.

Sugar-Free Gum Can Help

As with dental cement, sugar-free gum can work as a temporary filling. It may even help ease your tooth sensitivity. Never use gum that has sugar, otherwise it can make the cavity worse and irritate the area. Simply chew a piece of gum and place over the area. Keep it on for as often as you’re able to until your appointment.

When you lose a filling, don’t panic! You will need to see your dentist as soon as you can, but it’s not exactly a dental emergency. You can employ the use of these materials and practices to help you out in the meantime. Remember, seeing your dentist can fix the cavity right up. Fillings don’t last forever and you’ll need to replace yours eventually!

Post image courtesy of All Brite Dental

The post Lose a Filling? Don’t Panic! Here’s What You Can Do Until You See Your Dentist 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.