Some of the most common dental health issues patients face involve the gradual buildup of oral bacteria and their effect, over time, on your tooth structure. For example, tooth decay is a progressive issue that starts with the erosion of your tooth enamel and gradually gest worse until you treat it. Damage to your tooth structure can also become more severe over time, such as when your tooth fractures. The crack in your tooth structure can grow larger and threaten your tooth further. In some cases, it takes a custom-designed dental crown to fix the fracture and restore your tooth’s health and integrity.
What a dental crown does
A dental crown is a custom restoration that’s crafted to mimic the size and shape of a healthy, natural tooth. Once the crown is crafted and your tooth is prepared for it, your dentist can permanently bond the crown over the tooth in question. The crown itself protects the natural tooth structure underneath it, which allows it to restore the tooth and stop the fracture from growing worse under your bite’s pressure. Because many of today’s modern dental crowns are made from more lifelike materials, such as porcelain, they can also improve the cosmetic appearance of the teeth they cap.
How bad is your tooth crack?
Their ability to completely restore your tooth’s structure makes dental crowns the ideal solution for several patients who experience tooth damage. However, not all forms of tooth fractures are severe enough to require that comprehensive a level of tooth restoration. For instance, minor cracks in teeth may be corrected with cosmetic solutions such as tooth bonding or porcelain veneers. Designed to minimize the amount of changes to your tooth structure, these treatments can improve your tooth’s appearance and repair the crack in its structure while also improving the tooth’s overall strength and integrity.
Why you shouldn’t wait to fix it
No matter how severe the initial fracture in your tooth is, waiting to restore it will give it the chance to grow much worse. The pressure from your bite can cause the fracture to grow larger, making your teeth weaker and susceptible to things like infection (decay). The sooner you treat your tooth fracture, the better, and the greater chance you’ll have of successfully fixing it with minimally invasive treatment.
Learn how best to fix your cracked tooth
If your tooth is cracked, we can help you determine if a dental crown is the best way to fix it, or if you might benefit more from another treatment option. To learn more, schedule an appointment by calling Creekside Family Dental Care in Columbia, TN, today at (931) 388–3384.
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