A fractured tooth root is rather hard to diagnose as it isn’t always visible. A common cause can be chewing on hard foods, grinding your teeth during the night, or it could even happen naturally as you age in life. A fractured tooth root doesn’t necessarily mean that the crack will appear above the gum line and the symptoms are likely to come and go. As an individual, a fractured tooth root can be quite disturbing, especially when it comes to eating or drinking cold and warm beverages.

Due to the complexity of diagnosing a fractured tooth root, we have put together this article to help identify symptoms and understand the types of treatments that are available. A fracture doesn’t always mean that the tooth needs to be removed; however, in some circumstances, a cracked root might result in damaged tooth structure which will require extraction or root canal treatment. The treatment procedures for a cracked tooth root could cause a fair amount of pain and the recovery time can be longer than expected.

We would not advise that you eat hard food in order to prevent infections and the worsening of the condition if you suspect that you have a fractured tooth root as it could quickly lead to infection. Upon reading this article, if you feel that you may have a fractured tooth root, you should contact your dentistry professional as soon as possible for a thorough examination. Tooth fractures in the root won’t repair themselves, so the only option is a dental procedure.

If the crack in your front tooth has extended to the pulp of your tooth (located beneath the enamel and dentin layers), it needs to be treated with a root canal procedure to protect the crack from getting worse. A crown is then placed on top of it. Early diagnosis. Extreme temperature changes: When tooth enamel is rapidly exposed to opposite temperature extremes – for example, immediately biting into an ice cube after burning your mouth on a piping-hot cup of tea – it can lead to hairline cracks. This is because enamel expands and contracts during temperature changes. Tooth fractures in the root won’t repair themselves, so the only option is a dental procedure. Causes of a Fractured Tooth Root. A root fracture of a permanent tooth is commonly referred to as a vertical root fracture and it usually consists of a crack that appears on the root of the tooth below the gum line. Hairline Cracks In Front Teeth. If a person grinds their teeth or clenches their jaw in their sleep, they may wish to talk to their dentist about wearing a mouthguard at night. Related coverage Hairline Crack Down Front Tooth. Infectious Diseases / Bacteria / Viruses Primary Care / General Practice Public Health. If a tooth is cracked, each press pushes the crack open slightly. The only way to counteract the spread of the crack is to place something strong over and around the whole tooth. This covering will absorb the force of chewing and will keep the crack from spreading. Detecting and Repairing small hairline cracks in teeth is as being a detective.

Causes of a Fractured Tooth Root

A root fracture of a permanent tooth is commonly referred to as a vertical root fracture and it usually consists of a crack that appears on the root of the tooth below the gum line. Occasionally, the fracture will spread up the natural tooth appearing above the gum line where there is then the risk of a complete split. Below are a few of the signs and symptoms of a fractured tooth root.

• Excessive pressure or hard trauma
• Like with several traumatic dental injuries, a fractured root commonly affects those who have already had multiple procedures that have ended up weakening the integrity of the broken tooth and the fracture site
• Fractured root relating to fragile teeth
• Age, a fractured tooth and root is often seen in elderly people

Root Symptoms of a Fractured Tooth

It is important to know that not every fractured tooth will produce symptoms, but when they do occur,the pain can be excruciating. A fractured root typically presents intermittent symptoms which often leads people to believe that it isn’t severe, especially if the fracture itself isn’t visible. The most likely symptoms you would experience include:

• The occasional sharp pain when chewing or biting things, especially when you release the current bite.
• Painful sensitivity to hot and cold food and beverages.

Unless the tooth with the root fracture becomes infected, the symptoms are reasonably limited though when they do arrive it can be very painful. The worst thing about a fractured tooth root is that due to the hard diagnosis many people are unaware that they have, which means they continue as they were before and can end up damaging the root further.

Treatment for a Fractured Tooth

The treatment of a fractured tooth root is again pretty limited. It mostly depends on how big the fracture is and when it was discovered. Unfortunately, the root canal isn’t usually as effective by the time it is discovered, and so root canal has a very poor score rate.

1. Root Canal

A root canal is a dreaded word among patients. As soon as a person learns they need a root canal, they become petrified and consider running for the hills. The critical thing to do is to not get too hyped up by thinking that your tooth will be fixed. If the fracture is on the root and it hasn’t spread up the tooth or completely damaged the root, then root canal may be a valid route. It is widely reported that a root canal is one of the more painful procedures but if there is a chance to save the tooth you may as well give it a shot.

2. Extraction

This is also another treatment method for a fractured root. Unfortunately, this is the only other treatment that is offered and most cases actually end up with an extraction. Once the removal has been completed and the area has healed, there are several procedures available to cover the hole left behind from the missing tooth.

Recovery Time of a Fractured Root

The recovery time for a fractured root largely depends on whether it resulted in a root canal or an extraction. Anesthetic is used in both procedures and thanks to modern technology dentistry is becoming a lot swifter in its methods.

Root Canal Recovery

If a dentist recommends a root canal for a fractured root, then this means that there is hope for saving the tooth. It may turn out that the tooth needs to be extracted at a later date, but occasionally a tooth with a fractured root can be saved. Once the root canal procedure has been completed, the gums surrounding the area will remain swollen for a while. For a few days after the treatment, there will likely be some sensitivity, but this should scale back by the day. The evasiveness of the procedure will probably reflect in the recovery time, some dentists advise that the recovery period for root canal could take up to three weeks.

Tooth Extraction

Surprisingly, quite a few people are more nervous about a root canal than they are a complete tooth extraction. Although the whole tooth is being removed, some people feel that it is a less invasive treatment. Immediately after having a tooth extracted, the area will gradually begin to get the feeling back. Once it has fully returned, you should prepare to spend the night on the sofa with a heat pack, dosed up on painkillers. The advised recovery time for a tooth extraction could be up to two weeks but this mostly depends on the type of tooth and how much of it—if any—damaged surrounding areas during the process. It’s not unusual to require stitches after a tooth extraction especially if it was a wisdom tooth. However, as we continue to mention the mouth is the fastest healing part of the body.Therefore, although you may be advised that the recovery time is two weeks, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it will take that long. The majority of people reported a significant decrease in pain and discomfort by day three.

A strong tooth does not fracture easily and practicing good oral hygiene is vital for the overall health of the mouth and teeth.

The recovery of a fractured root will most probably take a lot longer to heal than an extraction. Whichever procedure suits you, there will be plenty of movement going on in your mouth. Even though you don’t feel it at the time, the aftermath will involve a lot of swelling. A dentist will provide suitable post procedure advise to help speed up the process. If you suspect that you have a fractured root, then contact the dentist as soon as possible and try to avoid putting any pressure on it or chewing with it.

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What To Do With Hairline Crack In Front Tooth

Hairline tooth fractures can appear more intense than the name itself. Although the name only suggests hairline, the pain you will be experiencing can bring tears to your eyes. But how to know if the origin of the pain you are experiencing is from a tooth fracture or some other reasons. In this article, the indicative points are suggested by the Shawnessy Dental experts will help you access the severity of your problem.

Also, you will be able to understand your pain better, and that will, in turn, help you in the management of the pain successfully, thus, bringing you relief.

What happens in a Tooth fracture?

Hairline Crack In Front Tooth Repair

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A tooth fracture is a small crack in your tooth that leads to immense pain whenever you bite down on something.

All of a sudden, you will experience a sharp pain that goes away as suddenly as it arrives. If you can relate to similar issues, chances are you are suffering from a tooth fracture as well. A hairline tooth fracture is a common problem which, when not taken care of, can lead to tooth loss as well. Therefore, it is essential to get yourself examined whenever you experience a dental issue.

Reason for a fractured tooth

The common factors that can cause the fracture in your teeth are often the simplest that we ignore in our routine life. Such factors are:-

• Old age over 50 years
• Sudden exposure to extreme temperatures like drinking hot and cold beverages consecutively
• Biting on hard candy or a piece of ice
• Any form of trauma, fall or blow to the mouth
• The pressure generated due to the grinding of teeth and clenching of teeth
• Fillings that are not fit for the tooth and weakens the integrity of the tooth

Common symptoms of a fractured tooth:

A fractured tooth can appear symptom less at times, and thus, you may not realize the problem. However, in other cases the pain may represent as follows:-

• The frequent sharp intensity of pain that comes and goes suddenly
• Pain that appears on biting and chewing and increases as soon as you release a bite
• Inflammation of gums around the tooth
• Inability to consume something sweet, sour and extreme temperature beverages due to sensitivity

The reason for the pain is in the biting patterns. Every time you bite on something, the crack in your tooth is split open, and the tooth pulp gets released form the same. Whenever you stop the chewing and release the bite, the crack closes up suddenly and results in another sharp stabbing pain. Although the crack is minuscule, the pulp that is released is sensitive and is likely to get infected if not taken care of.

Hairline tooth fracture appear so minor that you often will not be able to see it on your own. The confirmation of the test can only be done by a thorough examination performed by the dentist. He might also advise some diagnostic tests like X-rays, an intensive oral examination by probing, and dental dyes as well. By pinpointing in a specific location, you can help a dentist determine the exact origin of the pain. Thus, helping him examining your oral cavity in a better way.

Treatment for a fractured tooth:

Once it has been confirmed that your tooth has been fractured, a dentist will advise you several procedures such as Bonding, Root canal, and Crowning. If the pain is unbearable and the nerves are severely damaged, a dentist may have to perform a tooth canal as a last resort.

However, it is the least likely outcome. Having said that, you will need to make an appointment with your dentist if you are experiencing a similar problem. Call your dental expert at the earliest to get some relief from that pain and better prognosis of your issue.