Cracked Teeth

Breaking a tooth is painful and scary, but at Bayberry Dental Care in Tinley Park, help is available. We encourage our patients to wear mouthguards whenever they do something dangerous and to avoid habits such as chewing on ice that could cause a tooth to crack. But accidents do happen, and we hope our patients will remember our advice when they need it.

Teeth are subjected to tremendous force when we bite down. Our molars have wide surfaces to distribute the force and strong ligaments anchoring them, but they can split and their cusps can break off. Smaller teeth are much more vulnerable to breaking or tilting when used for chewing, and they can break from the force of nighttime teeth grinding. If a patient does break a tooth, they should rinse their mouth with salt water and cover the broken section with orthodontic wax or sugar-free gum. (If they have face lacerations, they should go to the emergency room before seeing a dentist.)

If a tooth is only slightly chipped or cracked, we may be able to repair it with bonding. But if a fissure goes deep, we will want to do a root canal procedure to prevent the pulp from becoming infected. When a molar splits, we may want to drill away a bit more material to make room for a partial crown. Full crowns may be necessary for teeth that are severely chipped or cracked, and if a tooth root is cracked, the tooth may need to be replaced. However, we try to save teeth as often as possible, and long-term restorations can be planned after a patient’s immediate needs are cared for.

Kathleen M. Falsey, D.D.S., operates Bayberry Dental Care at 8014 West 171^st St, Tinley Park, Illinois, 60477. To schedule an appointment, call 708-802-8300 or visit Bayberry Dental Care and fill out a contact sheet.