Cracked Tooth Repair in Skillman, NJ

A craze line is a hairline mark in the enamel only, cosmetic and harmless. A cracked tooth has a crack running from the chewing surface toward the root. A split tooth has cracked into separate pieces. Each one is repaired differently, which is why the exam comes first.

Biting pushes the two sides of the crack apart a tiny amount, and releasing the bite snaps them back, which irritates the nerve. Sharp pain on release is one of the clearest signs of a cracked tooth.

Fine cracks run in a direction x-rays don’t capture well. Dr. Godko combines digital x-rays with bite testing on each part of the tooth and a light shone through it to find the crack.

No. Cracked tooth pain comes and goes, and pain can also stop because the nerve is dying. A crack doesn’t heal, and every bite can push it deeper, so have it checked.

Chew on the other side, keep food soft and lukewarm, and cover a sharp edge with dental wax or sugar-free gum. Don’t try to glue it, and bring any broken piece with you.

Severe pain, a sharp edge cutting your tongue, a large piece missing, swelling, a bump on the gum or an injury. Swelling that spreads or makes it hard to breathe or swallow is an ER trip first. The ADA lists more dental emergencies.

Ice, hard candy, nuts, popcorn kernels, crusty bread and anything sticky, plus very hot or very cold drinks, which set off the sensitivity. Soft foods on the other side keep the crack from spreading before your repair.

Yes: book online anytime at www.deluxedentistry.com/schedule-appointment. You can also call (609) 303-2005 or (609) 400-1393 during office hours.

Yes. Clenching and grinding load your teeth with heavy force, night after night, and are a leading cause of cracks. A custom night guard takes that force off.

Yes. A large old filling leaves thin walls of tooth around it, and those walls crack under chewing. Replacing it with an onlay or crown that covers the tooth protects it.

No. Enamel has no living cells, so a crack can’t grow back together. It stays the same at best, and chewing usually pushes it deeper, which is why it is repaired early.

Yes, for contact sports. A custom sports mouthguard spreads the force of a hit across your teeth instead of one tooth taking it.

No. A root canal is only needed when the crack has reached the nerve. Many cracks are repaired with bonding, an onlay or a crown alone. Lingering pain with hot or cold is the sign the nerve may be involved.

A crown covers the tooth and takes the chewing force off the crack, which keeps it from spreading. It protects the tooth; it doesn’t make the crack disappear, which is why treating it early matters.

Yes. When a crack calls for a crown, your new crown is placed the same day, so the tooth is protected before you go home.

Yes. Tooth-colored bonding, all-ceramic onlays and crowns are matched to your natural teeth, so the repair blends in, front or back.

Yes. A tooth treated with a root canal is more brittle, so it is protected with a crown. Because its nerve is gone, a crack there may not hurt the same way, so regular checkups matter.

A crack that runs down into the root means the tooth can’t be saved. It typically comes out at the same visit, and the replacement is planned at that visit, with a single dental implant available starting at $3,199. When an implant is placed, you leave with your new tooth the same day. See emergency tooth extraction.

Bonding is finished in a single visit, and when the crack calls for a crown, your new crown is placed the same day. If the nerve is involved, most root canals are done in one visit too.

For a small chip, yes. A molar takes heavy chewing force, so a larger crack there is covered with an onlay or crown instead. See dental bonding.

Both. Deluxe Dentistry & Esthetics has two offices, in Skillman, NJ and Lawrenceville, NJ, and every procedure is available at both offices.

It depends on the repair: bonding, an onlay, a crown or a root canal with a crown. You see the cost before treatment. We work with your insurance to ensure you receive the maximum benefit, and 0% financing through Cherry is available.