What is a cracked tooth and why do I need a crown to fix it?
A cracked tooth is one that has been compromised from wear and tear. It can be from grinding or chewing harder items like ice for a while. Whatever the cause once a fracture is present in the tooth the process has to be stopped before getting too deep and into the nerve or even worse splitting the tooth in parts. A crown acts as a covering and holds the portions of the tooth on either side of the fractures and prevents the propagation of the fractures any deeper. Once the cracks get to the nerve a root canal will be needed to remove the nerve. In some circumstances a crack can get so deep it can split the tooth at which time the only treatment that can be done is to have the tooth removed. Caught early enough a crown can cover a tooth and hold the cracks together preventing the need for a root canal or possible extraction.
