If you were eating hard candy and you felt a lot of pain while biting down, then one of your teeth was damaged. This could be a small crack or a large one. You need to call your dentist immediately to have the tooth checked out. If you wait too long, then your tooth may erode completely and have to be removed. Below is some more information about this so you will know what to do.

Visit to the Dentist

When you arrive at the dentist, they will start out by taking x-rays so the dentist can see the exact damage to your tooth. This will show them how cracked it is. Your dentist will then put together a plan to repair the tooth.

Types of Cracks

If the tooth has a tiny hairline crack, the dentist may not do anything. Because you felt pain, however, the crack is likely worse than this.

If your tooth is cracked, then it likely extends down the side of the tooth but not completely below the gum line. If you do not get the issue fixed, however, the crack will get worse and will split your tooth. Once this happens, the crack will get below your gum line, and you will lose your entire tooth.

Treatment Options

One type of treatment is composite bonding. This will last approximately eight to ten years. You will not have to have anesthesia, as this procedure is very simple. The dentist will use a special instrument to rough the surface of your tooth and then apply a putty that is the same color as your tooth. They will then mold and smooth the putty to make it as close to the same shape as the damaged tooth as possible. An ultraviolet light is then used to harden the putty.

Veneers is another option and your best choice. This is because they will likely last throughout your lifetime so you will not ever have to worry about having them replaced. When the doctor is finished, you will not be able to tell the difference between the veneer and your other teeth.

If you choose this, the doctor will have to remove some of the surface of the tooth so the veneer will fit properly. They will then take impressions of the tooth and make sure the shape, shade, and size of the veneer is right. The doctor will send the impression to a lab and put a temporary veneer on your tooth until the permanent veneer comes in. When the new veneer comes back in, the doctor will bond the veneer to your tooth.

Your dentist can go over these options with you in much more detail and offer you other options.