1. Hairline Crack In Front Tooth Pain
2. How To Fix A Hairline Crack In A Tooth
3. How To Fix Hairline Cracks In Front Teeth
4. Hairline Crack Front Tooth

If a tooth is cracked, each press pushes the crack open slightly. The only way to counteract the spread of the crack is to place something strong over and around the whole tooth. This covering will absorb the force of chewing and will keep the crack from spreading. Detecting and Repairing small hairline cracks in teeth is as being a detective. Chewing on hard foods, such as candies, or even crunching on ice, can fracture a tooth. Stress-induced teeth grinding and jaw clenching can crack teeth as well. Less frequently, an accident or a blow to the jaw can also lead to a cracked tooth. In those cases, it’s usually a front tooth that’s affected. Craze lines are technically cracks in your teeth, but they are only in the enamel (the very top layer of your teeth). A crack in your tooth penetrates the enamel and can go into the dentin and even the tooth nerve.

Healthy teeth are incredibly strong, and the enamel that protects them is the most resilient substance your body produces. Nevertheless, undue pressure or accidental trauma can still wear down or crack a tooth, and when that happens, repairing it is a time-sensitive process. As you continue to bite and chew, the crack will grow worse until you fix it. To stop a tooth crack from growing worse, Dr. James Fondriest will carefully examine the tooth to diagnose the nature and extent of the damage. Then, he’ll work with you to choose the most appropriate custom restoration.

The Nature of Tooth Damage

In addition to trauma, your tooth can become damaged for a number of reasons. Some of them include:

• Excessive pressure from bruxism, or teeth grinding
• Large fillings, which can compromise the strength and integrity of a tooth
• Chewing foods that are too hard, such as nuts, ice, or hard candy
• Sudden temperature changes, like eating something hot and then drinking cold water
• Age (Hairline cracks in teeth are more common in people over 50.)

The nature of your tooth’s crack can help determine how you treat it and prevent it from happening again. For instance, if your tooth cracked because of an issue like bruxism, then treatment will likely involve addressing the condition so that your tooth’s restoration doesn’t become damaged, as well.

What a Tooth Crack Exposes

The main body of your tooth’s crown, called dentin, makes up the majority of your tooth’s structure. At the center of the dentin is chamber called the pulp, which contains your tooth’s nerves, blood vessels, and other vital tissues. When a tooth’s dentin is cracked or broken, the pulp may be exposed, which places your tooth at an immediate risk of internal infection. Before restoring the crack, your dentist will ensure that the restoration doesn’t trap an infection inside of your tooth by performing root canal treatment first.

Hairline Crack In Front Tooth Pain

Are there symptoms?

Oftentimes, there are no noticeable symptoms of a cracked tooth – especially if it’s just a hairline fracture. However, if the condition worsens, patients may develop:

• Sensitivity to sweets, heat, or cold
• Discomfort when biting or chewing – especially when the bite is released
• Pain that waxes and wanes, but is not continuous
• Swelling and inflammation around the affected tooth

Can hairline cracks in teeth worsen?

At first glance, hairline cracks in teeth seem superficial – and many of them are. However, it is possible for the condition to worsen over time. The best way to assess your risk is to schedule an appointment with Dr. Fondriest.

If you have hairline cracks in your teeth, they could develop into:

• Fractured cusps: This type of crack generally develops around a dental filling. Because it doesn’t usually extend to the pulp of the tooth, there is little to no pain.
• Larger cracks that extend into the gum line: Hairline cracks in teeth can progress and extend toward the gum line. Fractures that have already reached beyond the gum line may require extraction. However, timely treatment can help save the tooth.
• Split teeth: When a fracture runs from the chewing surface all the way into the gum line, the affected tooth can often be separated into two segments. It’s unlikely that the tooth can be saved at this point, although Dr. Fondriest may be able to preserve a portion of it.

Diagnosing a Cracked Tooth

During a consultation at our Chicago practice, Dr. Fondriest can perform a number of assessments. These can help determine the cause and severity of the cracked tooth. For example, he may:

• Review your dental history with you: If you suffer from bruxism, it’s important to know that. Teeth grinding is one of the most common causes of hairline fractures. If you habitually chew on ice or non-food objects, such as pens or pencils, be sure to mention it at your consultation.
• Perform a visual assessment: One of the first things Dr. Fondriest will do is visually check the affected tooth. He may use a special magnifying lens to see tiny fractures.
• Take x-rays: To better diagnose the problem, we will take x-rays. It’s important to note that x-rays do not always show cracks. However, they can reveal certain pathologies (such as infection) that can point to a fracture.
• Use a dental dye: Special dental dye (usually dark blue or purple) can be applied to the tooth. This can help any existing fractures stand out.
• Have you bite down on something: We may ask you to bite down on a tongue depressor and then release the bite. Oftentimes, this will cause some discomfort if a crack is present.

How can I stop a fracture from getting worse?

Because tooth cracks can range from mild to severe, treatments can range from cosmetic to complex, depending on your specific needs and preferences. Here are just a few of the treatment options available:

• Dental bonding: Hairline cracks in teeth may be corrected with a minimally invasive cosmetic touchup, such as tooth bonding. This procedure involves the application of tooth-colored composite resin. This conceals any fractures and reinforces the tooth.
• Porcelain veneers: If bonding isn’t an option, veneers can be placed to mask hairline fractures and improve the smile. This involves bonding custom porcelain shells to the front surfaces of the teeth.
• Crowns: More severe damage can require that the tooth be completely restored with a lifelike dental crown, which can be placed over the tooth to hold it together and stop the crack from growing.

In some cases, a fracture may be too risky to repair. For example, if a tooth cannot be restored with some degree of predictability, Dr. Fondriest may recommend an extraction. In the event that a tooth needs to be removed, it can be replaced with a dental implant. We can discuss all treatment options with you during your appointment.

If you’ve noticed hairline cracks in your teeth

Hairline cracks in teeth can grow worse the longer you leave them untreated. To learn more about how to prevent this problem and save your tooth, schedule a consultation. To learn how to address all smile problems, call our office at 847-234-0517. In addition to the metropolitan Chicago area, we also proudly serve residents of the North Shore and Northwest suburbs.

A fractured tooth root is rather hard to diagnose as it isn’t always visible. A common cause can be chewing on hard foods, grinding your teeth during the night, or it could even happen naturally as you age in life. A fractured tooth root doesn’t necessarily mean that the crack will appear above the gum line and the symptoms are likely to come and go. As an individual, a fractured tooth root can be quite disturbing, especially when it comes to eating or drinking cold and warm beverages.

Due to the complexity of diagnosing a fractured tooth root, we have put together this article to help identify symptoms and understand the types of treatments that are available. A fracture doesn’t always mean that the tooth needs to be removed; however, in some circumstances, a cracked root might result in damaged tooth structure which will require extraction or root canal treatment. The treatment procedures for a cracked tooth root could cause a fair amount of pain and the recovery time can be longer than expected.

We would not advise that you eat hard food in order to prevent infections and the worsening of the condition if you suspect that you have a fractured tooth root as it could quickly lead to infection. Upon reading this article, if you feel that you may have a fractured tooth root, you should contact your dentistry professional as soon as possible for a thorough examination. Tooth fractures in the root won’t repair themselves, so the only option is a dental procedure.

Causes of a Fractured Tooth Root

A root fracture of a permanent tooth is commonly referred to as a vertical root fracture and it usually consists of a crack that appears on the root of the tooth below the gum line. Occasionally, the fracture will spread up the natural tooth appearing above the gum line where there is then the risk of a complete split. Below are a few of the signs and symptoms of a fractured tooth root.

• Excessive pressure or hard trauma
• Like with several traumatic dental injuries, a fractured root commonly affects those who have already had multiple procedures that have ended up weakening the integrity of the broken tooth and the fracture site
• Fractured root relating to fragile teeth
• Age, a fractured tooth and root is often seen in elderly people

Root Symptoms of a Fractured Tooth

It is important to know that not every fractured tooth will produce symptoms, but when they do occur,the pain can be excruciating. A fractured root typically presents intermittent symptoms which often leads people to believe that it isn’t severe, especially if the fracture itself isn’t visible. The most likely symptoms you would experience include:

• The occasional sharp pain when chewing or biting things, especially when you release the current bite.
• Painful sensitivity to hot and cold food and beverages.

Unless the tooth with the root fracture becomes infected, the symptoms are reasonably limited though when they do arrive it can be very painful. The worst thing about a fractured tooth root is that due to the hard diagnosis many people are unaware that they have, which means they continue as they were before and can end up damaging the root further.

Treatment for a Fractured Tooth

The treatment of a fractured tooth root is again pretty limited. It mostly depends on how big the fracture is and when it was discovered. Unfortunately, the root canal isn’t usually as effective by the time it is discovered, and so root canal has a very poor score rate.

1. Root Canal

A root canal is a dreaded word among patients. As soon as a person learns they need a root canal, they become petrified and consider running for the hills. The critical thing to do is to not get too hyped up by thinking that your tooth will be fixed. If the fracture is on the root and it hasn’t spread up the tooth or completely damaged the root, then root canal may be a valid route. It is widely reported that a root canal is one of the more painful procedures but if there is a chance to save the tooth you may as well give it a shot.

2. Extraction

This is also another treatment method for a fractured root. Unfortunately, this is the only other treatment that is offered and most cases actually end up with an extraction. Once the removal has been completed and the area has healed, there are several procedures available to cover the hole left behind from the missing tooth.

Recovery Time of a Fractured Root

The recovery time for a fractured root largely depends on whether it resulted in a root canal or an extraction. Anesthetic is used in both procedures and thanks to modern technology dentistry is becoming a lot swifter in its methods.

Root Canal Recovery

How To Fix A Hairline Crack In A Tooth

If a dentist recommends a root canal for a fractured root, then this means that there is hope for saving the tooth. It may turn out that the tooth needs to be extracted at a later date, but occasionally a tooth with a fractured root can be saved. Once the root canal procedure has been completed, the gums surrounding the area will remain swollen for a while. For a few days after the treatment, there will likely be some sensitivity, but this should scale back by the day. The evasiveness of the procedure will probably reflect in the recovery time, some dentists advise that the recovery period for root canal could take up to three weeks.

How To Fix Hairline Cracks In Front Teeth

Tooth Extraction

Surprisingly, quite a few people are more nervous about a root canal than they are a complete tooth extraction. Although the whole tooth is being removed, some people feel that it is a less invasive treatment. Immediately after having a tooth extracted, the area will gradually begin to get the feeling back. Once it has fully returned, you should prepare to spend the night on the sofa with a heat pack, dosed up on painkillers. The advised recovery time for a tooth extraction could be up to two weeks but this mostly depends on the type of tooth and how much of it—if any—damaged surrounding areas during the process. It’s not unusual to require stitches after a tooth extraction especially if it was a wisdom tooth. However, as we continue to mention the mouth is the fastest healing part of the body.Therefore, although you may be advised that the recovery time is two weeks, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it will take that long. The majority of people reported a significant decrease in pain and discomfort by day three.

Hairline Crack Front Tooth

A strong tooth does not fracture easily and practicing good oral hygiene is vital for the overall health of the mouth and teeth.

The recovery of a fractured root will most probably take a lot longer to heal than an extraction. Whichever procedure suits you, there will be plenty of movement going on in your mouth. Even though you don’t feel it at the time, the aftermath will involve a lot of swelling. A dentist will provide suitable post procedure advise to help speed up the process. If you suspect that you have a fractured root, then contact the dentist as soon as possible and try to avoid putting any pressure on it or chewing with it.

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