Dental Fractures And Dental Repair Options
As you age, certain problems can develop with your teeth, and this includes the cracking of the biting surface. This is something that is more commonly seen in the molars and premolars. So what happens when your tooth cracks and you lose a relatively large portion of the biting surface and how is this issue fixed?
Why Do The Teeth Crack?
Teeth can crack for a wide variety of reasons. The teeth go through an extensive amount of stress when you bite and chew foods, and as you age, the teeth no longer retain the strength that they once did. This has to do with the thinning of the enamel as well as the fact that the body main not retain enough minerals to keep the teeth strong and highly calcified.
Also, the teeth may crack if you grind your teeth at night or if you have a bad habit of chewing on hard non-food objects like pen caps and ice cubes. And since the molars are the teeth that retain the most biting force when you do chew, they are the most likely to crack over time. Thankfully, your tooth is most likely to crack along the cusp or biting surface. This is something that likely can be repaired. However, a dentist like Elizabeth Loseke DDS will need to look at how deep the crack forms in the tooth and whether the damage is horizontal or vertical.
How Can A Fractured Tooth Be Repaired?
Cracked molars can often be repaired, even if a significant portion of the tooth cracks and fall away. Simply put, the molars are large enough to sustain more damage than the bicuspids and the cuspids. So even if the quarter of the tooth is broken away, a crown can likely be fitted on the biting surface. Crown creation and adhesion are the most likely treatment for most types of cracks and breaks.
However, if your dentist notices a vertical crack, then this type of damage needs to be assessed carefully. While a simple crack may not seem all that damaging to the overall tooth, vertical cracks will spread over time and the tooth will eventually split. So if the crack has already made its way beneath the gum line, then this is a sign that the tooth will need to be removed. If the crack still lies above the gums, then quick treatment will be started to determine the depth of the crack. Afterward, the entire crack area will be released as long as the depth is not substantial and crown placement will be planned.