Responding to Chipped or Cracked Teeth

Within the world of dental issues, chipped or cracked teeth are some of the most common out there. Like with any number of oral problems, leaving a chipped or cracked tooth untreated can lead to significant complications as it worsens. At the offices of Grant Dental, we’re here to help with all these issues. Let’s go over a few immediate areas you should remember if you or your child chips or cracks a tooth, plus how our dental care services can help correct the issue.

Immediate Care

The first step with chips and cracks is protecting the tooth and gums from any additional damage. Rinse your mouth with warm salt water, covering the impacted tooth with gauze or dental cement. If possible, avoid eating and drinking until you’re able to see our family dentist. If you must eat, avoid food and beverages with extreme temperatures, hard surfaces or high quantities of sugar or acid. Also look to chew on the opposite side of the mouth. If you’re experiencing pain, there are a few things you can do to decrease this before your dentist appointment:

  • Pain relief medication or anesthetic
  • Careful flossing between the cracks to remove debris or plaque
  • Sleeping with head elevated – this can relieve inflammation and pressure on the tooth

Professional Care

How we’ll treat a chipped or cracked tooth in our offices will depend on the type and severity of the injury:

  • Minor chip: For chips that don’t affect nerves in the teeth, a filling material may be used. In some other cases, your dentist may simply grind and polish the tooth t a better shape. If possible, bring the piece of the tooth that got chipped off with you – it might be possible to restore it.
  • Minor crack: Also called a “craze line,” this is a tiny crack that only affects the surface of a tooth. These might be polished but aren’t usually a big concern.
  • Severe crack: When the tooth remains in place but the crack spreads to the root, you may require a root canal or tooth extraction.
  • Fractured cusp: This is when a piece of the pointed chewing surface breaks off. This may only require a crown or even no specific treatment in some cases.
  • Split: When a tooth splits vertically into two separate parts, usually the result of an untreated cracked tooth. This may require a root canal followed by a crown.

To learn more about how to manage chipped or cracked teeth, or for any of our other servicescontact the staff at Grant Dental today.

Responding to Chipped or Cracked Teeth Responding to Chipped or Cracked Teeth

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