While we all wish our teeth were indestructible, sometimes things happen, and sometimes, they’re cracks. There are five kinds of teeth cracks, and one of the most common is the vertical root fracture. This is basically a line near the bottom that goes upwards, and this is basically a crack that happens near the root, going towards the top of it. Because it normally doesn’t have symptoms of signs, they oftentimes aren’t noticed, but it does cause bone and gum infection, which can be very noticeable and incredibly painful over time.
Why they happen
This is usually due to the teeth being weak, and they’re normally treated with root canals, crowns, and other dental procedures. Usually, if you have healthy teeth, this happens due to chewing on ice or other material that are hard. If you’re feeling pain, popping sensations, or have bleeding, this also may be a sign that you have a vertical root fracture.
Symptoms
The symptoms of this can be hard to properly diagnose unless you talk to a dental professional who knows what they’re doing and they find it in an x-ray. But some of the symptoms include:
- Pain when you bite
- A crack that’s found when there is dye or light shone on it
- A sinus tract training that looks like an ulcer or a boil.
- Infection underneath the roots of the teeth
- The pocket between the tooth and gum, and the gum is detached from that
Usually, a dental specialist or professional might diagnose this when they’re doing a root canal if they don’t find a crack. If the fracture happens after this, they may find it in x-rays as well, which may show that it’s shaped in the letter J, and there also may be other diagnostic tools, including transillumination, where the light is shone through the tooth directly to find fracture lines as well.
How they’re treated
Usually, there are some treatments that work for vertical root fractures, and in most cases, cement is used to bond this in order to cease the continuation of the fracture. However, in more serious cases, there may need to be a tooth extraction, and you want to have this there the moment the fracture gets diagnosed, since if there is a chronic infection there, it’ll impact the bone of the tooth, so you’ll need an implant for this.
In order to avoid the chance of a tooth fracture, there are also a few things that you can do. First, if you do need a root canal, you should ask about the technique, and also how you can make sure to avoid the risks after the post is placed on the area itself/.
You also may want to find out if you can get in regularly for dental checkups and whatnot. Regular exams do prevent this from getting worse as well over time, and also help with the treatment of such as it continues to be a part of this, and it can help with preventing this from getting worse as well down the line for you as well.
With that said, if you do think that you may have one of these, you should definitely talk to your doctor about this, and you’ll be able to get the treatment that you need with this. Just like with everything, if you’re looking to possibly improve your life, and reduce the chances of infections, definitely talk to your dentist and have them do the analysis to ask about whether or not you have a fracture, and what to do.
Mouth Health 