Chipped and cracked teeth aren’t the best for your self-esteem. However, teeth that are less than perfect can also cause issues for your oral and overall health.
According to the American Dental Association, leaving cracked and chipped teeth alone can cause more serious problems requiring extensive dental work.
If left untreated, chipped and cracked teeth get worse. Both dental issues may require root canal therapy or dental crowns because of extensive damage. Cracked and chipped teeth make both tooth decay and gum disease worse.
What’s the Difference?
Chipped Teeth
Chips are more frequent in front teeth. While most patients are more concerned about how their smile looks as opposed to functionality, a quick fix, usually in one dental visit, will fix the problem.
If you follow the Forest Dental Blog, you will remember that chipped teeth are repaired with cosmetic dental bonding. Dental bonding repairs aesthetics and functionality.
Because dental bonding is matched to your smile and appears seamless, no one will know about your chipped tooth. Keep in mind that dental bonding is not as strong as natural teeth. It’s important to be careful not to bite down on anything too hard as you could damage the bond.
Cracked Tooth
Cracked teeth are difficult to see with the naked eye. In fact, most patients suffer from cracks in the back teeth or molars. Cracked teeth require more attention with invasive treatments. If the cracked tooth extends to the roots, root canal therapy followed by a dental crown may be recommended.
Most Common Treatments for Cracked and Chipped Teeth:
Least Severe-The cracked tooth will need a dental crown to cover and restore the tooth damage.
Medium Severity-If the cracked tooth extends to the root of the tooth, root canal therapy is usually recommended. After the root canal, a crown is placed over the top of the tooth.
Most Severe-Teeth that are cracked well into the tooth may need to be extracted. While Forest Dental Center does its best to save a tooth, sometimes removal is the best option. Once your tooth is removed, you can opt for a dental implant or dental bridge.
If you have chipped and cracked teeth, don’t wait until it is too late. Call and schedule an appointment with Forest Dental Center today.