Cracked Tooth: What Causes It And How Do You Treat It

If there’s one strongest substance in the body; one that has the most minerals, it’s the teeth. This is because of its enamel content. Although it may be the toughest, it also has its weak point. The enamel is at its weakest when affected by different factors causing it to be chipped, cracked or worst, broken.

Among the effects, it’s the cracked teeth that can manifest in various ways. It can be internal or external. The internal crack is hard to detect physically because the crack is hidden inside, hence the internal term. It can be seen though with a radiographic examination. The external crack, on the other hand, is more painful compared to the internal. This is because there is a big chance for foreign substances to come directly in contact with sensitive nerve fibers. The crack may also appear in only small sections of the tooth or the entire teeth.

If you are fond of eating hard objects such as candies, ice, etc. or often falls, you may already have cracked teeth. Oftentimes this is the most contributing factor to cracks. People who are experiencing teeth grinding or bruxism and improper placement of fillings are also common causes of cracked teeth. It’s imperative that every person should maintain a good hygiene and in taking in the necessary vitamins and minerals needed for keeping a stronger set of teeth.

However, you don’t need to worry because treatments are available. Depending on the extent of cracked tooth, the treatment could vary. Because internal cracks are hard to detect, they are often left untreated. Only when the damage is reflected on the external it should be treated. Broken teeth treatments include caps and crowns, veneers and root canal therapy, and dental fillings or bonding.

For only a small portion of broken teeth, you can opt for bonding and fillings. For larger breaks or cracks, veneers, caps and crowns are used. Veneers are for the front teeth while the caps and crowns are for any tooth.

A more complicated and expensive process involves removal of the pulp tissues, cleaning up the pulp area, and sealing it by covering with a crown. This is what they call as root canal therapy.

Whatever kind of treatment that is needed by your teeth, it is still costly especially when you are in a limited budget. Nothing beats maintaining a proper hygiene to save you from shelling out extra money from your budget.