If you have a cracked tooth, you probably already know that it be the cause of dental pain and sensitivity to heat or cold. However, you may not be aware that, left untreated, decay and infection can become an issue in a cracked tooth and surrounding ones, and risk of periodontal disease can rise. Just how your Singapore dental professional will repair a cracked tooth depends upon a number of factors, including the cause, depth, severity and location of the crack, as well as your overall dental health. Here we’ll go over the most common options for repairing a cracked tooth and the situations for which each options may be most appropriate.
Dental Filling and Bonding
These are the quickest and least expensive solutions for a cracked tooth. Typically, a Singapore dental surgeon will use these methods to fix minor, superficial tooth cracks. Dental fillings can be used to repair cracks on the chewing surface of teeth, providing a protective barrier that can prevent the crack from progressing to a more serious one, as well as relieving any symptoms, such as pain or sensitivity, experienced by the patient.
For superficial cracks in front teeth, dental bonding is typically the better solution, offering more attractive cosmetic results. Bonding is done by etching the damaged tooth to roughen its surface, then applying a resin in a shade that matches your natural teeth. Then, the resin will be sculpted to fill in the crack and hardened with ultraviolet light and polished. With both of these methods, repair of a cracked tooth can typically be completed in just one dental visit.
Dental Crowns
Dental crowns can be used to repair a cracked tooth and protect it from further damage. These are generally used in cases where extensive tooth cracks have formed, weakening the structure of the tooth. Dental crowns are caps made of metal, porcelain coated metal, resin or ceramic. They are designed to completely encase the affected tooth down to the gum line. Depending upon the severity and location of the crack, your Singapore dental professional may prepare the damaged tooth for crowning by removing part of the tooth, reshaping it with dental fillings or performing a root canal to relieve pain or sensitivity.
Tooth Extraction and Replacement
While repairing a cracked tooth is best, provided it can be done safely and reliably, teeth with deep cracks, especially when those cracks extend into tooth roots or split a tooth in half, cannot always be fixed. If your Singapore oral surgeon feels that the tooth cannot be saved or that repairing it may lead to more dental problems in the future, extraction will be recommended.
Replacement of a single cracked tooth can be done with a dental implant, upon which a natural-looking crown will be placed, or a dental bridge. Of the two, dental implants are the treatment of choice, since they provide a replacement that looks, feels and functions like a natural tooth – and can last a lifetime. Dental bridges, while adequate cosmetic results, require crowning of adjacent teeth to hold them in place, which can leave those teeth more vulnerable to future dental problems, and have a much shorter lifespan than dental implants, requiring replacement every 7 to 10 years.
Your Singapore dental professional can help you decide which of these options can best repair your cracked tooth, and the sooner you seek that advice, the better. Delaying treatment can make matters worse, allowing cracks to progress to the point that more aggressive treatments are necessary, as well as increasing your risk of tooth decay, infection or gum disease.
