Ouch!
Chomp on something your tooth didn’t like? Or get hit in the mouth with a hockey puck?
If you think you may have a cracked tooth, or if you’re holding a piece of your tooth in your hand, follow these steps!
1. Give us a call to schedule an appointment at 916-780-1955. Let us know about your emergency and we will make our best effort to see you right away.
2. If there are tooth fragments that have fallen out, preserve them in a clean container with a moist solution (cold milk, water, saliva), and bring them in to your appointment.
3. Apply a cold pack to your jaw to lessen any pain and swelling.
4. If bleeding, bite down on a gauze pad until bleeding stops.
5. Oftentimes, we see cracks under old fillings, especially metal fillings because they expand and contract against the tooth, creating small cracks that become larger over time. Usually, a crown is recommended to protect the remaining tooth.
It is possible to have a cracked tooth and not know it.
If you have any pain when biting down, or when eating something hot or cold, it’s best to get it checked out. In order to prevent further damage to the tooth or an infection, it’s very important to correct a cracked tooth immediately.
Here are some before and after photos of cracked teeth: