Having a beautiful smile will likely be one of the first things that other people will notice about your appearance. Sadly, tooth damage can ruin an otherwise beautiful smile, and patients may not have the answers they need to effectively correct their damaged tooth.

Why Would Your Tooth Unexpectedly Chip Crack Or Break?

When patients think of a broken or cracked tooth, they may assume that it will always be caused by strong impacts to the mouth. Yet, it can be possible for a tooth to crack or break for seemingly no reason. If you experience this type of tooth damage, it is likely that there was hidden decay that had weakened the tooth. Over time, the weak spot on the tooth will worsen from use until it eventually completely breaks. Patients will often be confused as to why their broken tooth may not hurt, and when this is the case, it likely means the break missed the sensitive nerve of the tooth.

Can A Cracked Tooth Pose Significant Health Risks?

Repairing a cracked or broken tooth may not seem as though it will be an urgent treatment. However, failing to promptly repair the tooth can lead to some potentially serious health complications. When a tooth is broken or cracked, bacteria will be able to easily enter it. Once this happens, a severe infection may get started. Regretfully, this infection will not be entirely confined to the patient's tooth. In fact, it will be able to spread to other areas of the mouth, and it may even be able to enter the bloodstream where it can rapidly spread throughout the body.

Is It Possible To Reliably Repair A Cracked Or Broken Tooth?

When a tooth becomes broken or cracked, you might be able to save the tooth. For instances where the exterior damage failed to reach the nerve, the damage may be repaired through the use of dental bonding. This is a material that is similar to dental fillings, but it is slightly stronger so that it can be used for more severe tooth damage. Unfortunately, if the damage has reached the nerve of the tooth, a root canal and crown are likely the only reliable options for saving the tooth.

Unfortunately, patients may delay these repairs due to the initial damage failing to reach the nerve, but secondary decay and other complications can eventually spread to the tooth's interior. To avoid this outcome prompt, a dental appointment should be made as soon as is practical.

Contact a dental office like The Smile Architects for more information and assistance. 

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