Responding To Your Cracked Or Broken Tooth
Cracking one of your teeth is a common dental problem that you are likely to encounter at some point. Despite this being a routinely encountered dental problem, patients will often be extremely uninformed when it concerns the steps that they should be taking to repair and restore their teeth.
Use An Over-The-Counter Pain Medication
When a tooth becomes cracked or broken, it can expose the sensitive nerve in the middle of the tooth. Not surprisingly, this can lead to the patient experiencing intense pain and discomfort. Over-the-counter pain medications can be the quickest option for providing prompt pain relief. While these medications can make the pain from your dental injury easier to manage, it will be important to let your dentist know which medications you have taken.
Seek Out Prompt Treatment For The Damaged Tooth
In many instances, a patient may be fortunate enough to suffer a cracked or broken tooth that does not cause much in terms of pain or discomfort. This can make it easier for these patients to overlook the need to receive prompt dental treatment. While your cracked or broken tooth may not always cause immediate pain, it can substantially increase the risks of the tooth developing painful complications. For example, the crack will make the tooth vulnerable to decay and infection. These issues can actually spread to neighboring teeth if they are not treated, which can greatly complicate the process of restoring your smile. As a result, patients should always seek out prompt dental treatments for these injuries regardless of whether they are experiencing immediate pain.
Appreciate Your Range Of Restoration Options
There are many different repair and restoration options that will be available for dental patients. When a tooth suffers a major crack or break, patients might think that the entire tooth will have to be completely replaced in order to restore their smile and comfort. Yet, there are a few different treatments that may be used depending on the damage to the tooth. Dental bonding is one of the more common for teeth with cracks as it can be used to repair both minor and major structural damages. For some patients, dental bonding may not be a sufficient repair for the extent of their dental damage. Crowns are highly effective in these situations as the crown will be able to both restore the appearance of the tooth while also helping to strengthen it. Crowns will need to be replaced periodically, but this will typically only be required after several years of wear and tear.