Your smile is one of the most important assets of your personality, so you don’t want it to have any problems. However, several incidents, like oral trauma, may cause your teeth to crack. You may think extraction is the only solution, but not all cracked teeth need to be pulled out; some can be repaired.
What is a Cracked Tooth?
When damage results in a little break or fracture in your tooth, it can lead to a cracked tooth, also known as cracked tooth syndrome (CTS). It can affect any region of your teeth and range in severity from a little chip to a large split. Although cracks can occur in any tooth, they are more common in the molars at the rear of your lower jaw and your upper front teeth.
It’s not always possible to detect a broken tooth right away since certain fractures are too small to show up on dental X-rays. However, you could feel intermittent discomfort, especially with your back teeth, when you chew or consume certain foods.
Types of Cracked Tooth
Here are a few types of cracked teeth:
- Craze Lines: These are microscopic hairline fissures that show up on the tooth’s outer covering or enamel. Craze lines usually don’t need to be treated.
- Fractured Cusp: One of a tooth’s cusps, or sharp chewing surfaces, may break or crack.
- Vertical Root Fractures: These are upward-extending, vertical fissures that start at the tooth’s root.
- Split Tooth: A split tooth is essentially divided into distinct parts by a break that runs vertically from the chewing surface down toward the root. The treatment depends on how severe the split is.
What Type of Cracked Tooth Requires Extraction?
When a broken tooth accumulates damage that cannot be adequately repaired, extraction becomes the only viable option. Following are the situations where your dentist may recommend tooth extraction:
Extensive Cracks
The tooth’s integrity is seriously jeopardized when a fracture extends deeply into the tooth and affects a significant amount of its structure. The tooth loses its strength to withstand restorative procedures like fillings or crowns, so extraction is the only way.
Infection Extending Below Gum Line
There is an increased risk of infection and gum disease when cracks begin at the tooth’s biting surface and spread beyond the gum line. It is challenging to reach and properly repair these fissures.
Vertical Root Fractures
A major problem for dentists is vertical root fractures, which occur when a break starts at the tooth’s root and moves upward toward the crown. In these cases, extraction is the most effective way to reduce pain and stop the infection from spreading, protecting oral health in general.
Abscess and Infection
If a damaged tooth is infected, it may turn into an abscess, which is a painful condition that affects the bone and surrounding tissues. Extraction could be the greatest option to stop the illness from spreading in situations of severe infection.
Ending Note!
It’s good to be concerned about your oral health and explore treatment options for your specific condition. If you have a cracked tooth, it might need to be pulled out if the crack is severe or if it’s infected. Nonetheless, your dentist can determine the best course of action for you.
For further queries and concerns, consult our expert dentist, Dr. Omad Chaudhry, at Enhance Dental at Heritage. Call us at (919) 569-5719 to book your appointment.