What to do if you have a cracked front tooth

Some of the most common causes include¹:    

• Biting on a hard object, like ice, sweets or even a pen or your fingernails.
• Trauma to the mouth, like a sports injury, a blow to the face, tripping over or other accidents.
• Abrupt change in temperature, like consuming something extremely hot and immediately following it with something ice cold.
• Age – your teeth naturally wear as you age².

Tooth grinding and jaw clenching may also cause cracked teeth where there is pressure exerted on the biting surfaces of teeth.

You may think cracks in your front teeth will be obvious, but you can’t see all teeth cracks easily. Whether you’ve got a hairline crack in front tooth that’s very subtle or a more significant crack running below your gum line, look out for these signs or symptoms of damage:

• Sensitivity to hot or cold temperatures, or sweetness.
• Pain that flares up when biting or releasing the bite and is focused to a specific tooth.
• Swollen gum around a specific tooth.

What to do before going to a professional

If you suspect you have a crack, make an appointment with your dentist straight away. Here are a few questions you may have while waiting for an emergency appointment with your dentist:

• Can a cracked front tooth be fixed?
  In many cases, yes. See the information below about how to fix a cracked tooth.

• Do cracked teeth always need dental treatment?
  Only your dentist can advise you on how to treat a cracked tooth. You can increase your chances of a positive outcome if you visit them as soon as you notice any symptoms.

• Can you do anything about your cracked tooth while waiting for the dentist?
  Only a dentist should administer treatment for a cracked tooth. However, there are a few things you can try to relieve pain and discomfort while waiting for an appointment – such as applying a cold compress to the outside of your mouth, rinsing your mouth with warm water, avoiding eating any hard foods or anything very hot or cold⁴.

Can a cracked front tooth be fixed?

If you just have a superficial hairline crack in front tooth that doesn’t cause pain and isn’t visible then your dentist might recommend a non-invasive treatment such as polishing the crack away. This is most common for craze lines which are shallow cracks in the enamel⁴.

For more major cracks, your dentist might decide one of the following treatments is most suitable³:

• Bonding: This uses a composite resin or seal to fill in the crack which may be suitable when repairing a cracked front tooth.
• Dental crown: This treatment adds a protective cover over the cracked tooth and may be used when the crack is a fractured cusp.
• Root canal work: This type of procedure is chosen when the crack goes beyond the enamel and dentin layers and into the pulp of the tooth. The root canal helps to clean the area while a crown is often added afterwards to protect it.
• Extraction: If the crack is severe and extends below the gum line, then you might need to have your tooth removed. You may be able to have an implant fitted afterwards to take the place of the lost tooth.

How to prevent a cracked front tooth

There are plenty of ways to protect your teeth and help limit the chance of getting a cracked tooth in front. Here are some preventative measures you can take to keep your smile shining and crack-free:

• Avoid biting on hard food and hard objects, like fingernails and pens.
• Wear a gum shield when playing contact sports.
• Attend your routine dental check-ups, so your dentist can spot any cracks early.
• Brush twice a day with products formulated to strengthen your teeth, like Regenerate Advanced Toothpaste, powered by an exclusive and clinically proven NR-5™ technology, designed to keep teeth healthy and strong.
• Carry out monthly dental rituals that increase your enamel strength with products like Regenerate Advanced Enamel Serum which significantly increases enamel hardness when used in combination with the Advanced Toothpaste, with 82%* recovery after 3 days.

You now know what to do about a hairline crack in front tooth or something more substantial so remember to look for signs of damage and always visit your dentist if you have any concerns about your teeth.

*Based on an in-vitro test measuring enamel hardness after 3 days combined use of Toothpaste and Serum.

The advice in this article does not constitute medical advice; it is solely available for information purposes. We recommend that you consult your dentist If you are experiencing any dental problems.

 

Sources:

1 Oral Health Foundation – Cracked Teeth

2 Harvard Health Publishing – The Aging Mouth

3 NCBI – Cracked Tooth Diagnosis and Treatment

4 NHS – Self Care Advice