Can You Put a Crown On a Cracked Tooth?| Get Insights
A cracked tooth can be a major dental concern and that can occur due to multiple reasons including biting on hard substances, trauma, or underlying tooth decay. As it is said, where there is a problem, there is a solution. A lot talks about the possibility of putting a crown on a cracked tooth to restore its integrity. Talking about this possibility, it is also essential for us to acquaint ourselves with the dental crown process, which is a pivotal step in addressing the challenges posed.
Can You Put a Crown On a Cracked Tooth
Yes, you can put a crown on a cracked tooth. It is one of the solutions for restoring cracked, fractured, broken, or chipped teeth. The dental crowning provides stability to the tooth while encasing it. Here is a complete dental crown process for it.
The Dental Crown Process
The dental crown process usually includes 2-3 appointments with your dentist.
During the first appointment, the dental doctor will examine your cracked tooth. Remove the decaying part and quite possibly, he/she may remove a bit more of your damaged tooth to place and adjust the crown over the affected teeth. After that, impressions are taken and sent to the dental laboratory to prepare a customized dental crown.
For a second appointment, the permanent crown is cemented onto the prepared tooth. A third appointment is needed if a temporary crown is used and then it is replaced with the final restoration.
Throughout the process, the dentist ensures the crown over the cracked tooth fits properly, matches the natural tooth color, and restores functionality.
Treating a Fractured Tooth Under the Crown
Some cases have been seen where people came up with a fractured tooth under the crown. Once you’ve gone through the dental crown process and come up with this issue, don’t worry there are certain ways to treat that.
First of all, start with a dental examination. X-rays may be taken by your dentist to assess the extent of the fracture and its impact on the underlying tooth structure.
The dentist will remove your crown over the cracked tooth to examine the damage to the natural tooth. This may involve cutting through the crown.
After examination, following procedures will help you to treat it and get rid of swelling, sensitivity, and other issues.
Crown Replacement: In case, the natural tooth is still viable, a new crown may be fabricated to replace the older one.
Root Canal: If the condition is worse, and the fracture or crack is extended to the pulp, a root canal comes to the rescue to remove damaged tissue and alleviate pain.
Tooth Extraction: In case there is no way back. extraction may be recommended. Extraction is mostly followed by certain replacement options like dental implants, bridges, or dentures.
When Putting a Crown on a Broken Tooth is Needed?
The decision to put a broken tooth crown is mainly due to symptoms. Some symptoms include pain and sensitivity. discomfort while chewing, swelling of the gums, visible damage, changes in tooth color, or tongue or cheek injury.
On the safer side, to avoid pain and related oral problems, you can also go for the crown on a chipped tooth if you see large cavities or decay, visible fractures, or weakened teeth due to larger fillings. Crown overfillings will help to support it further strengthening the teeth.
Alternative Treatment Options for Cracked Teeth
Alternative treatments for cracked teeth depend on the severity of the crack. Always consult a dentist to determine the most suitable option based on the tooth condition. Some of the options include:
Dental Bonding:
In dental bonding, a tooth-colored resin can be applied and hardened to restore the tooth’s appearance. For minor cracks, this can be done to minimize the damage.
Dental Veneers:
In dental veneers, a thin porcelain or composite veneer covers up the front surface of a cracked part of the tooth. It improves the aesthetics and provides some protection.
Inlays or Onlays:
These partial crowns offer a conservative approach to restoring the tooth. Inlays or onlays can be used for medium-sized cracks.
