Which cracks need same-day attention

• Pain shoots when you bite or release
• A piece has broken off with a sharp edge
• The tooth feels loose or the crack looks deep
• Swelling or a bad taste suggests infection

Call us for same-day priority when any of those apply. We hold emergency time on weekdays. You do not need to be an existing patient.

Hairline cracks, cracked cusps, cracks toward the root

Hairline surface cracks can be watched when they are shallow, not sensitive, and do not catch food. "Watch it" means scheduled rechecks, not ignore it forever.

A cracked cusp (a corner of the chewing surface) often needs more than a filling. If enough healthy tooth remains, an onlay can cover the damaged part. If walls are thin or the crack wraps farther, a full crown holds the tooth together so it does not split under chewing pressure.

A crack that reaches toward the root is more serious. If the tooth cannot be held together, extraction may be kinder than a repair that will fail. That is a clinical call based on imaging, not a sales path.

How I decide at mend

A filling patches a hole. A crown holds a whole tooth together. I start with the smallest fix that will last: bond or filling when it can hold, onlay when part of the tooth can be saved, crown when the tooth needs full coverage, including after a root canal when the tooth becomes brittle.

Grinding can worsen a crack. If wear shows nighttime clenching, we may discuss a custom night guard after the tooth is protected, not instead of repairing it.

What "watch it" really means

If we monitor a hairline crack, you leave knowing what symptoms should bring you back early, and when the next exam should recheck it. Watching is an active plan with criteria, not hope.

Crown work, when needed, is usually two visits with a digital scan and a temporary in between. You get a written estimate after the exam. Most PPO plans cover a portion of crowns. We verify benefits first.