Good oral care, proper nutrition, regular visits to the dentist - these simple steps will help protect your teeth from damage. However, not everyone follows the rules. If a tooth is cracked, what should I do? First of all, you should make an appointment with the dentist.
Why can a tooth crack?
Poor nutrition causes tooth enamel to weaken. Often the problem is faced by people who neglect foods high in calcium and fluoride. If the enamel is weak, any factors can lead to cracks. So, some people have bad habits of cracking nuts or opening bottles with their teeth. Ordinary household trauma can also contribute to the appearance of a crack. Dental problems are common among athletes (boxers, wrestlers).
If a tooth cracked in a dream, it is possible that the patient is suffering from bruxism. It's teeth grinding in your sleep. The patient may have a hereditary predisposition to bruxism. Also, the disease often develops against the background of stress or overwork. The grinding leads to increasedabrasion of hard tissues of the tooth. Enamel is damaged, cracks appear. Therapy is carried out not only by a dentist, but also by a psychologist. Sometimes a patient is prescribed hypnosis sessions.
Varieties of cracks
If a tooth is cracked, it is impossible to postpone a visit to the dentist. The absence of pain is not a reason to refuse treatment. Every day the pathological process will be aggravated. The method of therapy will directly depend on how exactly the tooth has cracked. The most dangerous are vertical cracks. As a rule, in such cases, the molar cannot be saved, it has to be removed.
In domestic injuries, as a rule, horizontal cracks are diagnosed. In most cases, the tooth can be extended. If the crack is observed closer to the gum, chipping is possible. Diagonal cracks occur if the molar is damaged at an angle. In this case, professional dental care is indispensable. It is impossible to predict the consequences of damage if the tooth is cracked inside. Externally, the injury is not visible. Damage is most often detected during MRI or X-ray diagnostics.
Root fissure is the rarest pathology. As a rule, such injuries develop against the background of an injury. It is rare to save a tooth.
Enamel crack
Such injuries are diagnosed in almost everyone. Cracks can be vertical, horizontal or vertical. A common cause of such damage is eating too cold or hot food. Enamel cracks cause serious discomfort. The patient begins to react to sour and sweet foods. There are pain during the use of hot liquid dishes.
Discomfort is not the only unpleasant moment. Dyes from food easily penetrate the enamel through the resulting crack. As a result, teeth lose their former attractiveness. In addition, pathogenic bacteria enter the tooth body through a small hole. Significantly increases the risk of caries. Therefore, if a tooth is cracked, it is worth making an appointment with the dentist on the same day.
Tooth split in half
Such damage is possible with serious domestic injuries or those who are used to cracking nuts with their teeth, opening bottles. In this case, there is a significant risk of complications. The problem is that during damage, access to the pulp opens up. If pathogenic bacteria get into the nerve of the tooth, it has to be removed.
Things are more complicated if the crack goes deep into the gums. The specialist may decide to remove both parts of the root. If it is not possible to grow a tooth, a crown or bridge will be installed in the future.
If one of the parts of the tooth is loose
If a tooth is cracked and loose, the patient will be assigned an X-ray examination of the damaged area. The specialist must assess the extent of the lesion. If the injury did not lead to a transverse root fracture, the specialist will try to save the tooth. The movable part is removed, the pin is installed. The tooth is built up to normal size using composite materials.
If the pin cannot be installed,the doctor may decide to install a photopolymer filling. Further, the result is fixed with a crown.
If a baby tooth is cracked
Kids tend to taste everything, run and jump a lot. Excessive activity often leads to injury. Why do children's teeth crack? In the children's body there is still not enough calcium, the enamel in young patients is much weaker. If a child's tooth is cracked, it is impossible to postpone a visit to the dentist. The doctor first of all must make sure that the permanent rudiments of the teeth are not affected.
If a milk tooth is split, the baby should not be given too hot or cold drinks. It is also worth explaining to the child that it is temporarily impossible to chew solid foods on the side where the injury occurred. If the child is still too young, it is worth giving him grated food. If pain is present, Nurofen and Paracetamol syrups will help improve the baby's condition before visiting a doctor.
Can a molar be saved?
If a tooth is cracked, what should I do? Can he be saved? The answer to this question can be given by a qualified doctor after a thorough examination. The specialist can use a special probe, coloring reagents, and palpate. An x-ray will help determine the depth of the injury.
If a tooth splits into two parts, most likely it will have to be removed. A crown or dental implant will be placed in place of the molar. Bridges are also widely used. If a tooth is cracked but not loose, it may be possible to save it.
Significantly more likely to save a tooth if the patient seeks help immediately after the appearance of a crack. The doctor evaluates the condition of the tooth, prescribes the appropriate therapy. There are several ways to strengthen tooth enamel, restore the external attractiveness of a smile.
Teeth Fluoridation
The procedure is performed to strengthen tooth enamel. It is shown to those who have a predisposition to the development of caries. It is also worth making an appointment with a specialist for those who suffer from increased sensitivity of the teeth. This technique is suitable for patients who have cracks in the tooth enamel. Strengthening is carried out using special solutions with a high content of fluorine ions. Coated with such a substance, the teeth are protected from harmful environmental factors. In addition, fluoride ions prevent pathogenic bacteria from accumulating on the teeth.
Fluoridation is a completely painless procedure. It is also prescribed to young children whose teeth often break or darken. Fluoridation can be simple or deep. In the first case, a special spoon is used, resembling a dental cast. This tool is filled with a therapeutic substance and applied to the dentition for 15-20 minutes. After a while, the manipulations can be repeated.
Deep fluoridation is a more efficient method. Fluorine and calcium penetrate into the pores of the tooth. The molars become really strong. It is almost impossible to damage them by mechanical impact.
Use of composite materials
If the tooth is splitin half, most likely, one part of it will have to be removed. It will be possible to carry out the restoration qualitatively using composite materials. The indication for the procedures is the partial destruction of the hard tissues of the tooth, the defeat of a large area with caries. There may also be aesthetic indications for improving the condition of the teeth. The procedure will be carried out if there are dark areas on the enamel.
In their work, specialists use high-quality photopolymer fillings, which are matched to the native color of the patient's enamel. As a result, the boundaries of the artificial material and the living tooth are almost invisible. The service life of such a seal is more than 10 years. It can then be replaced.
Restoration of posterior teeth that do not open when smiling can be performed with a darker composite material. Such fillings have a higher strength index.
Installation of bridges
If a tooth is almost completely destroyed, it will not be possible to restore it with a filling. The use of bridges is the traditional solution. The procedure can be performed at any dental clinic. The advantage is that such a technique is not expensive, everyone can afford such a prosthesis.
If the root of the tooth is split, most likely, the doctor will decide to remove it. Within a month after surgery, the patient can already seek help for the installation of a bridge prosthesis. Metal-ceramic bridges remain the most popular today. Suchdesigns do an excellent job with chewing functions, imitate the real color of tooth enamel.
Zirconium dioxide is often used to make prostheses. This metal is white and does not darken over time.
The most budget option are plastic dentures. Such crowns can be used if a tooth with a filling has cracked. Such prostheses are installed over the tooth and perform a mostly aesthetic function.
Dental Implants
If the damaged molar had to be removed, and you want to replace it with a really high-quality prosthesis, you should pay attention to implants. The bottom line is that an artificial titanium root is implanted into the bone tissue in the place where the damaged tooth was previously located. Next, a high-quality crown is fixed on it. Outwardly, such a tooth is almost impossible to distinguish from the real one. The crown is matched in color and shape to the rest of the patient's teeth.
In addition to aesthetic characteristics, such prostheses have other advantages. Firstly, a crown installed on an implant can last more than 15 years without replacement. Even if you have to change it, the procedure will be completely painless. Secondly, such a tooth is strong enough, it is almost impossible to damage it.
The only downside is that the whole implant process takes several months. Immediately after tooth extraction, an artificial root cannot be implanted. Such manipulations can be started only when the bone tissue is formed - after 1, 5-2month. After the installation of the implant, a few more months should pass. The final stage is prosthetics. The cost of installing such turnkey prostheses starts from 25 thousand rubles. Before deciding on the procedure, you should carefully study the reviews of the selected dental clinic.
Veneers
If tooth enamel has darkened due to cracks, dental veneers will help improve the aesthetic appearance of a smile. These are special micro-prostheses made of composite material or ceramic-metal. Their main goal is the external transformation of a damaged tooth. They are much cheaper than classic crowns. At the same time, with their help, visible defects can be eliminated.
Porcelain veneers have gained immense popularity lately. Externally, such prostheses are almost impossible to distinguish from ordinary teeth. In addition, they are relatively inexpensive. For the installation of such veneers, on average, you will have to pay about 15 thousand rubles.
Unfortunately, there may also be contraindications to the installation of veneers. The first is bruxism. If the patient suffers from abnormal teeth grinding, the installation of such prostheses may not be safe. Contraindications also include the absence of more than six chewing teeth, infectious diseases of the oral cavity. It is not recommended to install veneers if the patient has a malocclusion.
The whole procedure for fixing veneers is performed in several stages. Initially, the doctor eliminates the existing pathologies, treats caries. Then an impression is made, which makes it possible to makeappropriately sized prostheses. After 4-5 days, the finished veneers are fixed with a special adhesive.
Summarize
Eating right and avoiding bad habits will help keep your teeth he althy. If the tooth is still split, it is impossible to postpone the visit to the doctor. The specialist will select the most suitable method for restoring the dentition.
