Can an Endodontist Fix a Cracked Tooth
Your dentist tells you that your tooth has a crack, now what? An endodontist is often needed when your tooth is cracked.
What causes a cracked tooth?
How did your tooth crack? If the crack is the result of trauma, you probably remember the incident. However, sometimes cracks can be more mysterious.
A tooth can develop a crack as the result of untreated decay. The decay has weakened the hard, protective enamel and a crack has formed due to something minor, like chewing. The cusp of your tooth (the pointed part of the chewing surface) has been fractured.
Loose fillings can also cause teeth to crack. This is one of the reasons dentists recommend specialists. A dental treatment needs to be able to stand the test of time.
How do teeth crack?
A tooth can experience a crack even beneath the surface of your gums. There are five different types of cracks.
1. A fractured cusp. Like we mentioned before, the cusp of your tooth is the pointed part of the chewing surface. Your molars can have five to seven cusps depending on how they grow. When this chewing surface is weakened, a fracture can occur. Even though the pulp of your tooth will usually remain undamaged, the fractured cusp must be removed. To restore a tooth, a full crown is needed.
2. A crack that is treatable. This crack may not even extend below the gum line. This kind of crack will usually result in damaged pulp. The tooth will need to be endodontically treated.
3. Split tooth. Left untreated, a treatable crack will most likely grow and eventually cause a split tooth. When this happens, an endodontist will need to determine the best course of action. Every measure will be taken to save the tooth. Sometimes the damage of a split tooth is beyond endodontic treatment.
4. Vertical Root Fracture. This type of crack often goes unnoticed. The crack begins at the root of your tooth and grows upwards. The treatment involves removing the fractured root.