Can A Cracked Tooth Heal On Its Own?
A cracked tooth will not heal on its own and will need to be treated. Tooth enamel is not capable of regeneration, meaning that the crack will not close up. The longer a cracked tooth goes untreated, the higher the chance that an infection will develop. This reduces the chances of saving the tooth.
How To Tell If You Have a Cracked Tooth
Pain that comes and goes. A crack you can’t see often makes itself known through intermittent pain.
Pain when chewing. You may also experience pain when chewing if there is an undetected crack in a tooth.
Extreme sensitivity. A crack in a tooth allows extreme temperature changes to reach the nerves inside the tooth, causing sensitivity.
Swelling of the gums. An infection can develop due to a cracked tooth that may cause the gum tissue to swell around the infected tooth.
Discoloration of the tooth. Dental trauma can cause a crack in the tooth as well as internal bleeding that can lead to discoloration, such as a gray or brown color.
Treatment For Cracked Teeth
Cracked teeth are typically treated with root canal therapy and a crown. The root canal removes the soft tissue from inside the tooth to ensure that any infection is eliminated. Then the tooth is filled with a replacement material that is resistant to infection.
A crown is placed over the tooth to protect the remaining portion of the tooth and the root.