Downs Dental Care 
12.8.2021
Hello!
Dr. Miller and Dr. Downs will be starting a monthly blog post reviewing some of the common dental scenarios that we see on a daily basis. Hopefully you will find this to be an informative and entertaining read.
First on the list is cracked teeth! ouch! … maybe.
Having a cracked tooth can mean many things. For some it can mean pain, for others not so much. What differentiates the two? How deep it goes! Sometimes fractures of the teeth can be very superficial and known to us as craze lines or it can extend to the root or the nerve of the tooth and be a true symptomatic fracture. I’m sure the next question is how can we tell? Sometimes it's obvious and other times not so much. At Downs Dental Care we use a light called a transilluminator that sends light through the tooth and if the light doesn't go all the way through the tooth it's a fracture.
If I see a line on my tooth does that mean it's broken and I have to fix it? Not necessarily, craze lines remember! If Dr. Miller or Dr. Downs diagnose your tooth to have a craze line then it most likely will not need any work but it can help give us some insight into some destructive habits like clenching or grinding. If on the other hand, it is a true fracture and there is no pain associated with it then a crown will do the trick! We want to make sure to stabilize the tooth so the fracture does not continue. If you are experiencing some discomfort then you may need a root canal “long filling” and a crown to save the tooth. In rare instances the fracture may be too severe and the tooth has lived its best life!
If it’s lived its best life and cannot be saved then what!? If the tooth cannot be saved Dr. Miller and Dr. Downs will be able to talk you through some replacement options like an implant, bridge, or maybe a denture. The good news is there is always a way!
Thank you for taking the time to read our blog. If you have any suggestions or topics that you would like to know more about please don’t hesitate to let us know!
Sincerely,
Dr. Anderson Miller