A cracked tooth does not sound like something that could affect your overall health, especially if it is not causing much pain. However, at Rockwall Oral Surgery, we know that a cracked tooth needs to be taken care of as soon as possible. If you put it off, it could start to affect your overall oral health and systemic wellbeing.
Pain and Sensitivity
Any pain needs to be checked out. With a cracked tooth, the pain may be severe at first and then diminish over time. A crack in a tooth can get worse under the pressure of chewing. You could experience sensitivity to hot and cold because of the crack, making it hurt to eat. That means your other teeth will need to work harder, which could wear them down or lead to alignment issues that require TMH relief later on.
Bad Breath
Bad breath that does not go away could be a sign of a cracked tooth that is infected. While bad breath seems like a minor annoyance, it is often a sign of trapped bacteria. If you suddenly have bad breath and have never had a problem with it before, an infected cracked tooth could be the culprit.
Dental Abscess
A cracked tooth could lead to an abscess, a pocket of pus in the gumline next to the tooth. An abscess, if left untreated, could lead to a fever and an infection that spreads throughout your entire body. A cracked tooth could damage not only your oral health but your overall health.
Expert Solutions for Tooth Fractures
When a fracture reaches the pulp of the tooth, the damage becomes internal. In these cases, a consultation with an oral surgeon is vital to determine if the tooth can be saved. At our practice, we perform specialized oral procedures to stop the spread of infection and restore the structural integrity of your bite.
Ignoring a crack allows the fracture line to expand every time you bite down. Eventually, this can result in a complete vertical split, making an extraction and a dental implant the only remaining options. By addressing the crack early, we can often utilize bonding or crowns to seal the area, protecting the nerve and preventing the need for more invasive surgery. Proactive care ensures that a small crack doesn’t turn into a permanent gap in your smile or a systemic health crisis.
A cracked tooth is not something that you should put off. If you think your tooth might be cracked, make an appointment with Rockwall Oral Surgery so we can take care of it immediately.