It’s Thursday evening and your friends have been wanting to try that new restaurant with you all week. They want to see your reaction when you try their amazing flatbread pizza. After you arrive and find a seat, a server comes up and takes your order. “One sausage flatbread please.” You tell the waiter.
Twenty minutes later, the pizza arrives, smelling delicious. As you take a bite, you stop short after hearing a crack in your mouth. “Well, what do you think?” Your friend says, anxious for your opinion. In that moment, you realize your tooth has cracked. Luckily, there’s emergency dental care in Lincoln available so you don’t have to cut your whole day short.
How Your Tooth Could Have Cracked
If you suffer from bruxism, a chronic clenching of the jaw or grinding of the teeth, it can cause your teeth to wear down and eventually crack under pressure. Some foods like hard candy and even toasted bread can push your tooth’s enamel over the edge, causing a hairline crack. If you consume a lot of crunchy and/or sweet foods, you’ll need to stop immediately if your tooth cracks.
According to the American Association of Endodontists, your tooth contains pulp, which can experience a lot of pain if it becomes exposed. Inside the pulp are nerves and blood vessels, so if any of the foods you eat are an extreme temperature (hot or cold), you’ll notice pain in your mouth right away. To avoid the tooth from breaking more, here’s what to do.
What to Do Right After Your Tooth Cracks
The moment you realize your tooth is cracked, call your emergency dentist in Lincoln right away. Tell them your tooth is cracked in half and they’ll schedule an appointment for you. Even if there isn’t any pain, a cracked tooth is not something to put off. The longer you wait to get treatment, the more you risk infecting your tooth’s pulp.
An infection can easily spread to your gums and bone underneath your tooth, so getting that appointment scheduled is the most important step. If you can’t make it to the dentist, avoid chewing food on the side of your mouth where the affected tooth is. During your regular oral routine, use extra care while brushing. For easier cleaning, buy a toothbrush with soft multi-angled bristles so your cleaning is thorough but not painful.
How Your Dentist Will Repair the Tooth
After you arrive, your emergency dentist in Lincoln will examine the extent of the damage to your tooth. Depending on the length of the fracture, your dentist has a few different options:
- If your enamel or filling is chipped, the dentist may only need to apply bonding material to the chipped portion.
- A part of your tooth can be saved by covering it with a crown, assuming only a small piece broke off.
- For more severe cases, surgery may be needed to remove the fractured portion so it doesn’t cut other parts of your mouth.
- If the crack extends into the pulp, a root canal or tooth extraction may be needed.
About the Practice
Don’t let a cracked tooth ruin your day. If you’re experiencing a dental emergency, don’t hesitate to visit your emergency dentist in Lincoln today, Williamsburg Dental! Give us a call at (402) 420-2222 and we’ll be ready to help with your dental emergency.