A lot of people live with minor tooth cracks all the time. They don’t think twice about them, and the cracks aren’t doing anything to impede their lives. However, not all dental cracks are something that can be safely ignored. Minor hairline cracks don’t necessarily need anything than an eye kept on them. It is when you get to the bigger cracks that you need to have them treated in order to preserve the integrity of your tooth, and protect your mouth.
The Danger of Leaving a Larger Crack Untreated
A larger crack typically goes through much more of the tooth than a superficial layer. It may or it may not be painful. No matter which scenario you find yourself in, it is still important to get it looked at by a dentist. If you get the cracked tooth treated right away, you have a much better chance of the tooth being salvageable. If you leave the tooth alone and wait, the tooth could end up damaged beyond repair.
When you bite down, during normal chewing or bruxism, you put pressure on your teeth. This pressure can intensify a crack and cause it to grow. This can make the crack quickly progress from something you need not worry about, into something that exposes the nerve inside your tooth. This also allows debris to work its way into the crack, potentially damaging your tooth and increasing the chances of decay in that tooth.
If you have a crack in your tooth, then do whatever you can to ensure that your tooth is checked on regularly by your dentist. If it starts to grow, then it is important to have the tooth treated to keep it safe and stop the crack from getting worse.
Please contact our office if you have any questions about tooth cracks.