A cracked tooth may or may not cause pain. If a fracture of your tooth dentin occurs on one of your most visible teeth, though, you’re sure to want to figure out a solution to your problem. Whether you bite on something too hard for your teeth, your teeth are week from decay, or you sustain a traumatic injury, a cracked tooth can happen to anyone at any time. To learn more, try this quiz on fractured teeth.
Questions
Q1. True or false – Chewing on ice cubes is no problem for your dental health because the cold temperatures make your tooth enamel strong.
Q2. True or false – Cracked teeth are nearly always uncomfortable and sensitive
Q3. True or false – Extremely shallow cracks might not even show on an x-ray, let alone do they always require treatment.
Q4. True or false – Tooth fractures left untreated can lead to unwanted loss of permanent teeth.
Answers
A1. FALSE – While you cannot guarantee that every last one of your permanent teeth will remain intact no matter what you chew on, ice cubes are among the worst offenders for cracking teeth. Biting down on a hard ice cube at just the wrong spot can result in a fracture. Did you know that extreme temperatures also cause metal fillings to expand and contract? If this happens too much, your restored tooth can become weaker and weaker, and eventually crack.
A2. FALSE – Fractured teeth can have various symptoms. Sometimes you’ll feel sharp pain, and sometimes you may have no idea you have a cracked tooth until your dentist identifies it. Rather than sharp pain, you may just experience intermittent pain when extreme temperatures hit the exposed nerves.
A3. FALSE – If cracks are very shallow, they may not even show up on an x-ray, so it’s important to note any unusual signs and symptoms such as feeling rough patches on your teeth with your tongue.
A4. TRUE – In many cases a crack in a tooth can expose the inner tissues of your teeth called dental pulp. There are also blood vessels, nerves, and connective tissues inside your inner tooth. When the roots of your teeth are exposed to germs, they can become infected. This means that a root canal procedure can be necessary. Without treatment, there is a possibility that you could lose the tooth.
ABOUT YOUR ARLINGTON HEIGHTS DENTIST:
Dr. Brent Engelberg and his highly-skilled team proudly serve patients and their families from Arlington Heights, IL, and all surrounding communities, including; Northbrook, Deerfield, Highland Park, Wilmette, Winnetka, Glencoe, Vernon Hills, Lincolnshire, Libertyville, Skokie, Evanston, Palatine, Schaumburg, Elk Grove Village, Rolling Meadows, and the Northern and Northwest Chicago Suburbs. To learn more, schedule a consultation online, or call our office today at 847-259-8030.
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