Cracked Teeth
Improvements in dental care are helping people to maintain their teeth longer. Because people are living longer, and because we all live stressful lives, our teeth are exposed to many more years of crack inducing habits. Clenching, grinding, and chewing on hard objects make our teeth more susceptible to developing cracks. Hallmark symptoms of a cracked tooth are intermittent biting pain (often on the release of pressure) and discomfort to hot or cold foods or drinks. Symptoms may come and go, and dentists may have difficulty isolating the tooth causing the discomfort. Cracks are one of the most difficult dental conditions to diagnose as there are no obvious x-ray findings. Early diagnosis is important because like a crack in the windshield of a car, a crack in a tooth will progress with time. The sooner a crack is detected and treated, the more likely you will be to save your tooth.
Dr. Brandys' training and experience is invaluable in diagnosing these frustrating issues. We have a series of diagnostic tests to isolate the symptoms and will recommend the appropriate treatment to return you to comfort.
Treatment for cracked teeth can range from placing a crown to root canal therapy in more advanced cases. Left untreated, cracks can ultimately require the extraction of the involved tooth.
For more information regarding cracked teeth please visit The American Association of Endodontists website.