Today I have a patient coming in for a broken tooth. He has biten into a piece of chicken and part of the tooth cracked off. He said as soon as this happen, he felt a sharp pain and this is what brought him to see the dentist today.
Upon examination, the tooth has a big defect. I ask him about the history of the tooth and he said he noticed a small piece of the tooth came off three years ago. He said he went to the dentist at that time and the dentist gave him some antibiotics and painkiller for emergency measures but he never returns for followup treatment because he didn’t have any major discomfort and he said he just let it slipped off his mind.
The tooth exhibits the sign and symptoms of crack tooth syndrome and it might need some extensive work. I sincerely felt sorry for the guy because if he had fixed the small problem three years ago, the tooth might not develop this severe crack. The small defect in the tooth might cause food impaction and bacteria can cause cavity to further weaken the tooth. As the result of three years of non-treatment, the tooth has become cavitated from within and it only takes a small piece of soft chicken meat to cause the crumbling of the tooth structure.
The tooth is now needing a core buildup and a crown to prevent it from breakage.
Written by Daniel Tee, DDS, MS
Genral Dental Office in Tempe AZ — White Tooth-Colored Fillings, Porcelain Crowns, Veneers, Inlays, Onlays
Serving the city of Tempe, Chandler, Phoenix, Gilbert, and Mesa in Arizona. Practicing General Dentist
