05 Aug Why is it important to repair or replace cracked teeth?
Cracked teeth can be problematic in a number of ways. They can leave the tooth vulnerable to an infection in its core, which can severely compromise the tooth’s structure and go on to spread elsewhere in the body. Cracked teeth are also unsightly in the smile.
To avoid the consequences of cracked teeth, it’s important to pursue treatment options as early as possible for the best chance of saving the affected tooth. If the tooth is too severely damaged to salvage, patients should consider dental implants for tooth replacement.
Consequences of Cracked Teeth
When a tooth is cracked, the tooth’s sensitive pulp material can be exposed to the oral cavity and the bacteria that thrive in that environment. If those bacteria infiltrate the pulp, the infection can cause the tooth to die and even access the bloodstream to spread throughout the body.
Cracked teeth may make it more difficult for you to chew fresh fruits and vegetables that are highly nutritious. A cracked tooth is unattractive, too, and it can negatively affect your self-esteem.
Because a cracked tooth can present significant challenges for your oral health and general well-being, it should be addressed by a dental professional without delay.
Treatment Options for Cracked Teeth
If you seek treatment early enough in the process and the crack is mild in severity, it may be possible to save the biological tooth using restorations such as dental bonding,
Ideally, you will be able to save your biological tooth, but that may not always be possible depending on the location of the crack and how deep it is. If the tooth cannot be repaired and must be removed, patients should explore a structurally complete tooth replacement.
Dental implants fit the bill for this. They are small titanium cylinders placed in the jaw by an oral surgeon in order to support a prosthetic crown, bridge or denture. Because dental implants are made of titanium, the surrounding bone tissue can fuse with them.
The osseointegration process renders the dental implant as a fixture in the jaw, allowing it to function similarly to the root of a biological tooth. As such, dental implants are able to preserve the jawbone’s integrity, which offers a host of benefits for patients.
If you need to replace a cracked tooth, schedule a dental implant consultation with our team at Central Oklahoma Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Associates to learn more about this innovative treatment option.