It often happens mid bite. You’re eating something ordinary, a piece of toast or a handful of almonds, and you feel a crunch that doesn’t belong to the food. Or there’s no moment at all, just a sharp edge your tongue keeps finding, or a twinge when you sip something cold. A cracked filling is one of the most common reasons people call our Guelph office between checkups. The good news is that it’s usually very fixable, especially when it’s dealt with early. Here’s what we suggest you do, what we look for when you come in, and how cracked filling treatment usually goes at Guelph Royal Dental Centre.
How to tell if a filling has cracked
A crack in a filling isn’t always easy to see, even in a mirror. Most people notice it by feel. Common signs include:
- A rough or sharp spot on a tooth that used to feel smooth
- A small piece of something hard in your mouth after eating that isn’t food
- Sensitivity to cold, hot or sweet things in one particular tooth
- A quick, sharp pain when you bite down or release your bite
- Floss that catches or shreds in one spot
- A dark line around the edge of an older filling
Some cracks cause no symptoms at all. Those are usually found at a regular checkup, either by the dentist looking closely or on an X ray.
Is it the filling or the tooth?
From the outside, a cracked filling and a cracked tooth can feel almost the same. Both can cause pain on biting and sensitivity to cold. The difference matters, though. A crack that stays inside the filling material is usually a simple repair. A crack that runs into the tooth itself, sometimes starting at the edge of an old filling, can spread deeper over time. You can’t tell which one you have by feel alone, which is one more reason to have it looked at rather than waiting to see what happens. Older, larger fillings are the most likely to be involved, simply because they’ve had more years of chewing and the tooth around them has less natural structure left.
What to do before your appointment
First, call us. Even if it doesn’t hurt, a cracked filling lets bacteria and food work their way underneath, and the tooth can be weaker than it looks. While you wait for your visit, a few simple steps help protect it.
Do
- Chew on the other side of your mouth
- Keep brushing and flossing the area gently so food doesn’t sit there
- Rinse with warm water after meals
- Save any piece that came out and bring it with you, just so we can see it
- Use an over the counter pain reliever, following the label, if the tooth is sore
Don’t
- Bite into hard foods like nuts, hard candy, ice or crusty bread on that side
- Try to glue anything back in place yourself
- Ignore it because the pain went away. Pain that comes and goes is still a sign something’s wrong
If a sharp edge is cutting your tongue or cheek, a small piece of sugar free gum or dental wax from the pharmacy pressed over it can make things more comfortable for a day or two. It’s a stopgap, not a repair.
When it can’t wait
Call right away if you have swelling in your face or gums, a throbbing pain that keeps you up at night, a bad taste that suggests infection, or if a large part of the tooth has broken away. These are signs the problem has gone past the filling.
What we check when you come in
Our first job is to figure out what exactly has cracked. It might be just the filling, or it might be the tooth around it. Those two situations are treated differently, so it’s worth taking a few minutes to be sure.
Here’s what a typical assessment looks like:
- A conversation. When did you notice it, and what does it feel like? Pain on biting points us in one direction, cold sensitivity in another.
- A close look. With good light and magnification we examine the filling edges and the tooth for cracks, gaps and decay.
- Bite testing. Having you bite on a small instrument one cusp at a time can reveal a crack that’s hard to see.
- X rays. These show decay under or beside the filling and help us judge how close it is to the nerve.
Then we explain what we found and what the options are. You won’t be rushed into anything.
How a cracked filling is usually fixed
The right repair depends on how big the filling is, how much healthy tooth is left, and whether there’s decay or damage to the nerve.
Small chip or crack
If the damage is minor and the rest of the filling is sound, we can sometimes smooth or patch the area. This is quick and usually doesn’t need much, if any, freezing.
Replacing the filling
More often, the best fix is to take the old filling out and put in a new one. Once the old material is removed, we can see and clean out any decay that’s crept underneath, then fill the tooth again. Many people choose a tooth coloured composite filling, which bonds to the tooth and blends in. The visit is a lot like getting your original filling.
A crown
When a filling was already large, there may not be enough strong tooth left to hold a new one. In that case a crown can protect the tooth from splitting. It covers the whole visible tooth and usually takes two visits.
Root canal treatment
If bacteria have reached the nerve, the tooth may need root canal treatment before it can be restored. That sounds daunting to many people, but it’s done with local anaesthetic and is often what finally stops a tooth from aching.
Why waiting usually costs more
A cracked filling rarely gets better on its own. The longer it’s left, the more chance there is for decay to spread under it or for the crack to run into the tooth. A problem that could have been handled with a new filling can turn into one that needs a crown, or a root canal, or in the worst case an extraction. Getting it seen within a few days keeps your options simpler and your costs lower.
Cracked filling questions from our patients
It doesn’t hurt. Do I still need to come in?
Yes. Many cracked fillings don’t hurt at first. The lack of pain doesn’t mean the tooth is sealed. Book a visit in the next week or two, and sooner if anything changes.
Is it an emergency?
Usually not, unless there’s swelling, severe pain or a large break. It’s still worth calling soon so it doesn’t turn into one.
Will my insurance cover a replacement filling?
Many dental plans cover fillings, but coverage varies, and some plans limit how often the same tooth can be refilled. Our front desk can help you check before treatment.
Get your cracked filling checked in Guelph
If you’ve noticed a sharp edge, new sensitivity or pain when biting, don’t wait for it to settle down. A quick exam tells us what’s going on and how to fix it with the least work possible. Call Guelph Royal Dental Centre at 519-837-1870 to book cracked filling treatment, or stop by our office at 18 Douglas Street in downtown Guelph.
You can read more about composite fillings at our Guelph office, or call us at 519-837-1870 if a filling feels rough or sensitive.