A cracked tooth emergency can be a scary one. No one likes the unsettling feeling of finding a big piece of tooth missing. Cracked teeth can be sensitive, painful, and injure soft tissues in the mouth.
If you find yourself facing this kind of dental emergency in Kingwood, what are your options?
First of all, take steps to stabilize your tooth.
If your tooth is very sensitive or is missing a large piece, you may want to patch it with a temporary dental cement until you can get to the dental office.
Once see our Kingwood dentist, you’ll learn several different options for treating a cracked tooth.
Filling or Bonding
Very shallow stress fractures may be buffed out without any dental work, at all. But the first line of defense for fractures is to patch up the crack with a conservative filling. Small chips can be filled in with bonding while more serious cracks may need more comprehensive repair.
Dental Crown
Dental crowns are the most common way to repair cracked teeth. They provide complete coverage for protection and strength. A crown covers the entire tooth after the weak and damaged spots are removed.
Root Canal
For cracks that travel through the tooth and compromise the nerve chamber, you may need a root canal. Endodontic therapy removes the damaged nerve to avoid infection.
Extraction
If your cracked tooth is damaged down through the root and has no hope of being salvaged, then pulling it is the best way to get relief. After that’s done, you can consider options for replacing it.
Contact Dentistry of Kingwood for help the next time you suspect a cracked tooth.
Posted on Behalf of Dentistry of Kingwood