Endodontic treatment
Cracked and injured teeth
A crack, a chipped tooth or a blow to the mouth can reach the nerve of a tooth, sometimes without showing on a radiograph. We find how deep the damage goes and tell you what can be treated.
How long it takes
Many exams take one visit. A tooth with a crack may need a second visit to watch how it behaves.
What happens
The visit, step by step.
- 01
Step 1: Your story
We ask what happened and when, and what the tooth does when you bite or drink something cold.
- 02
Step 2: Testing
We test the tooth with cold, with a bite test and by tracing the gum around it.
- 03
Step 3: Imaging
We take radiographs, and a three-dimensional scan when it will help.
- 04
Step 4: The options
Dr. Krishnan explains what she found, and which treatments, if any, make sense.
- 05
Step 5: Your dentist
We send our findings to your dentist, who decides on the crown or other restoration.
Before you decide
Comfort
Testing can be uncomfortable for a moment, and we stop when you ask. If treatment is needed, the tooth is numbed with local anesthetic first.
Other options, and waiting
A crack tends to grow. A tooth that cracks through the root cannot be kept. Waiting can turn a tooth that could have been treated into one that has to come out.
Risks and after-care
Some cracks cannot be treated, and the tooth may need to be removed. A tooth treated with a crack can break later. We tell you how likely that is for yours before we begin.
How it is billed
We bill this as endodontic treatment, and give you a written estimate before it starts. We file claims with the plans we are in network with.
How fees work
Questions about cracked and injured teeth
My tooth was knocked or chipped. What should I do?
Call us. If a tooth was knocked out, handle it by the crown, rinse it gently and keep it moist in milk, then call us right away. The tooth can't be put back safely after a long wait.
Can every cracked tooth be saved?
No. Some cracks are too deep, and we say so plainly.
Do you place the crown?
No. Your dentist places the crown or filling after we treat the nerve.
Dr. Krishnan treats this at Front Street.
Treatment is provided by Dr. Sudha Krishnan, endodontist. Her training is on her profile page.