What are the treatment options for a cracked tooth?

Question

Hello doctor,

While trying to disassemble a monitor, I accidentally hit myself in the face with the base of the monitor. Later, I noticed that my lateral incisor had a crack and the very top of the tooth had chipped off. Based on the research it seems like it is just a craze line. About half of the top 0.5 mm of the tooth appears to have fallen off, as half of the tooth is slightly taller. It feels unfamiliar and I can feel the roughness on the top of the tooth with my tongue. At first, there was pain only from the immediate impact. It felt like a few of my teeth were moved around slightly.

The pain was not sharp or very noticeable. However, about three to five hours later a sharper pain began to appear. An hour after the pain began; it was hurting even without touching it. It also hurts if I drink refrigerated water. The source of the pain is the very top of my tooth where it seems to have been chipped off. I will attach a picture of the tooth in which you can see the thin crack and the chip-off portion at the top of my tooth. The chip seems like it came off like a long and thin rectangle. Since it is a holiday here, I have not been able to contact my dentist's office. Currently, I am using Vyvanse and Aleve for tooth pain but does not seem to work.

Please help.

Answer 1

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

Looking at the picture (attachment removed to protect patient identity) and with your history, it seems that it is an impact trauma with incisal fracture. To confirm that the fracture has not extended to the root of the tooth we must do an X-ray (IOPA - intraoral periapical radiograph) of that tooth. As expected, there will be pain for a few days on biting.

You will also have a sensitivity to cold, hot, and sweet food. If the pain is throbbing in nature and occurs spontaneously (without any touch), it most likely means irreversible pulpitis and will require root canal treatment. You may also require a root canal treatment if your tooth becomes brownish-black in color with time. For now, you can wait and watch. You can take some analgesics for pain. If your lower tooth comes in direct contact with this tooth, you might need some bite adjustment.

I hope this helps.

Thank you.