Crack in front tooth enamel. Can this tooth be saved? (Photo)

Question

I went to the doctor and he said that the xray did not have any cracks shown. However, the doctor said I may have bruised a nerve in the process of biting a fork. The tooth to the right is the issue. Will the nerve reject the tooth? Is there any solution to this issue like reminerlization or enamel toothpaste?

Vachik Danoukh, DMD · Answer

Hi from Pittsburgh PA!   Your doctor could not find a crack with an x ray. I would just wait it out and see if the pain goes away.  You could have just bruised the nerve and the tooth will take a little time to heal. If it continues to feel worse or the pain is becoming real rather than just sensitive, then it would merit different treatment. I would first see if it would heal on its own!

Gary Michaelson, DDS (retired) · Answer

It's not uncommon to injure a front tooth when biting into something hard like a fork. Unfortunately most cracks won't show up on an x-ray unless it's a severe fracture. Small micro fractures happen frequently and if your tooth is sensitive from the trauma, the good thing is it usually heals on its own and no treatment is needed. Severe trauma to a tooth like getting hit in the mouth can injure the nerve.  This may cause the nerve to die sometime in the future and may or may not show up on an x-ray as an abscess. This would require root canal treatment. Your situation sounds more like a bruise and time should take care of it.

Crack in front tooth enamel. Can this tooth be saved? (Photo)

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Crack in front tooth enamel. Can this tooth be saved? (Photo)

Answers (2)

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Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.