There are many things you can do to help protect your teeth against fractures. While fractures aren’t entirely preventable, the following will certainly help:

• Avoiding chewing on tough foods such as unpopped popcorn kernels or ice
• Avoiding chewing on hard objects like pens
• Not clenching or grinding your teeth, and if you do clench and grind at night, getting an oral appliance to protect your teeth
• Wearing a mouth guard or protective mask for contact sports

One of the most obvious symptoms of a fractured tooth is significant pain, especially while chewing, biting, or applying other pressure to the tooth or the area around it. Also, you might experience pain or sensitivity when the tooth or surrounding area is exposed to temperature extremes, either hot or cold.

Sometimes pain can come and go and spread throughout the area, so your dentist might have difficulty locating the fractured tooth. Here at Ideal Endodontics, our specialists can often locate fractured teeth with greater precision, and once we find the problematic tooth, we can treat it effectively.

Whereas broken bones in, say, the arm will heal over time, broken teeth don’t heal and will worsen without professional treatment. Even with professional treatment, a fracture won’t heal, but it’s quite possible to repair a fracture to prevent further damage and relieve the pain.

After a fractured tooth is treated properly, it will likely continue to function well for many years. Here at Ideal Endodontics, our professionals can provide proper treatment to save the tooth and help you preserve your natural smile.

Fractured teeth are treated by endodontists, who are dental professionals that specialize in diagnosing and treating tooth pain, and performing complicated procedures like root canals. These professionals are especially qualified to treat tooth fractures.

Generally, the best treatment for a fractured tooth is a crown for the tooth. This provides the best protection possible and will help to relieve pain too. Sometimes a filling can help to protect a tooth, and other times endodontic surgery is the best option. When a fracture extends to the pulp inside the tooth, a root canal procedure and a crown are necessary. If the crack extends below the gum line, then it cannot be saved and must be extracted.

These more significant procedures are done only when the damage to the tooth is extensive. To prevent extensive damage to a tooth, it’s important to recognize the symptoms of a fractured tooth and then to see a proper professional right away.

Yes, we do! Ideal Endodontics is open for patients in the Washington area and beyond, and our endodontists can perform any kind of treatment for a fractured tooth. We’re located at 1145 19th Street NW, Suite 314 Washington, DC 20036. To make a consultation or appointment with us, give us a call or book with us online. During your initial appointment with us, we’ll help you understand the source of your tooth pain, and if it’s a fracture, we’ll determine how serious it is and which treatment would work best for you. Get in touch with us today. We serve patients from Washington DC, Arlington VA, Alexandria VA, Silver Spring MD, Bethesda MD, and surrounding areas.