Tooth Fractures are a common thing in the world of dentistry. Fractures or
cracks occur with all ages, although they are more present in those
above the age of 25. They can be very painful, hard to diagnose, yet
sometimes easy to treat. There are several types of tooth fractures, which we
will look at below.
The first type of crack is known as an oblique supragingival fracture.
This fracture is found above the gums, and normally happens when you
bite down too hard on something. Normally, this fracture doesn’t
involve the nerve. Once the fractured area of the tooth breaks off, the
pain will go away. Although the exposed dentin may cause you some pain,
you can visit the dentist and have it repaired. If the fracture is
large, you may need to have a crown placed on the tooth to prevent
further fractures from occurring in that tooth.
The second type of crack exceeds way below the gum line, and is known
as an oblique subgingival fracture. Once the fractured piece of tooth
breaks off, it normally remains attached to the gums and cause result
in terrible pain until you get it removed. Once you have had the piece
of tooth removed from the gums, the tooth will be similar to the
supragingival fracture. It normally doesn’t affect the nerves, although
as a result of the tooth area being lost, you may need to have a root
canal to clean out the tooth before having a crown put on it.
The seriousness of this fracture depends on how far it has went beyond
the gum line. If it has made it’s way deep into the gum line, you may
not be able to save the tooth. The crack can be present for many years,
before you start to feel any pain. To be on the safe side, you should
go to your regular checkups with your dentist, as he can check for
cracks and other problems.
The oblique root fracture is next, although it doesn’t involve the
tooth crown at all. This type of fracture is almost always found below
the gums, normally under the bone. If a root fracture is found near the
crown of the tooth, it will normally prove to be fatal. Sometimes, you
can save the tooth with a root canal, even though it is normally lost
later on due to an abscess of the bone that surrounds the fracture.
The last type of fracture is the most difficult to deal with. Vertical
apical root fractures occur with the tip of the root, and can cause you
severe to intense pain, even if you’ve had the nerve removed with a
root canal. Even though the nerve may not be present, vertical apical
root fractures cause a lot of pain, which occurs in the tooth.
Normally, vertical apical fractures will cause you more pain than any
other type of fracture. The resulting pain comes from the fragments
putting pressure on the bone, causing the fractured pieces to strain.
Just about the only way to get relief from this type of fracture is to
get a root canal, as it will ease the pain and get the dead pulp out of
the tooth that’s affected with the fracture.
Even though tooth fractures are very common and very painful, you should
never put off going to the dentist. Fractures can become more and more
serious if you don’t do something about them, which is why you should
never hesitate to go to the dentist. Your dentist will be able to
diagnose the problem, and fix it before it has the chance to get any
worse.