What’s the strongest thing in your body? The enamel of your teeth! They’re stronger than bone.
The enamel of your teeth work like shining armor that protects them from cavity causing bacteria, as well as guards your tooth’s roots from exposure – when this happens your teeth are often sensitive to cold or hot temperatures.
Unfortunately, over time even your tooth’s super enamel may thin or erode due to various factors, such as teeth grinding, age, or eating foods that torment your teeth. When your tooth’s enamel weakens it becomes more susceptible to breaking, chipping or cracking.
If your tooth breaks, a dental crown will work wonders. Dental crowns are tooth shaped caps that cover your tooth. They can fix a damaged tooth, as well as improve the shape and color of your teeth.
Signs You Have a Cracked Tooth
Usually, if you break your tooth, you’ll know it, but sometimes you may have a cracked, or fractured tooth that’s not so evident. Some of the signs to look for would be:
- Tooth Sensitivity – when you drink cold or hot foods.
- Tooth Pain When You Chew (or you favor one side of your mouth to chew your food)
- Sporadic Tooth Pain – Pain that comes and goes.
What if you have a broken tooth but you don’t have any pain or sensitivity? If you suspect your tooth is broken, or your dentist has already diagnosed that your tooth is damaged or fractured, don’t wait too long to get it fixed. Your cracked tooth allows more harmful bacteria to leak into your tooth as well as expose and attack your tooth’s root. The longer you postpone having this treated, the more likely you are for needing more serious and costly dental treatments down the road – like a root canal, or eventually needing to have your tooth extracted, and then needing a dental implant. So, even if you don’t have any pain now, please don’t ignore your damaged tooth for too long.
The good news? If your tooth breaks and a dental crown is recommended, crowns are quite versatile because they can fix your tooth as well as cosmetically enhance your smile. The procedure requires no oral surgery and is typically completed in just two visits.
Find out if a dental crown can work for you. Please call us at (206) 524-1000 to schedule an appointment, or request a consultation here.