Cracked Teeth
There
are many different types of cracked teeth. Cracked teeth show a variety of
symptoms, including erratic pain when chewing, possibly with release of biting
pressure, or pain when your tooth is exposed to temperature extremes. In many
cases, the pain may come and go, and your dentist may have difficulty locating
which tooth is causing the discomfort. If you are experiencing these
dental symptoms or suspect a cracked tooth, see an endodontist, who specializes
in saving cracked teeth.
The treatment and
outcome for your tooth depends on the type, location and extent of the crack.
If you think you have a cracked tooth, it's important to seek treatment
quickly, before the problem gets worse. Once treated, most cracked teeth
continue to function and provide years of comfortable chewing.
Explore more about the symptoms, causes and treatments for
cracked teeth.
How
do I know if my tooth is cracked?
Cracked teeth show a
variety of symptoms, including erratic pain when chewing, possibly with release
of biting pressure, or pain when your tooth is exposed to temperature extremes.
In many cases, the pain may come and go, and your dentist may have difficulty
locating which tooth is causing the discomfort.
Why does a cracked tooth hurt?
To understand why a
cracked tooth hurts, it helps to know something about the anatomy of the tooth.
Inside the tooth, under the white enamel and a hard layer called the dentin, is
the inner soft tissue called the pulp. The pulp contains the tooth's nerves and
blood vessels.
When the outer hard
tissues of the tooth are cracked, chewing can cause movement of the pieces, and
the pulp can become irritated. Eventually, the pulp will become damaged to the
point that it can no longer heal itself. The tooth will not only hurt when
chewing but may also become sensitive to temperature extremes. In time, a
cracked tooth may begin to hurt all by itself. Extensive cracks can lead to
infection of the pulp tissue, which can spread to the bone and gum surrounding
the tooth.
What if my tooth is chipped?
Chipped teeth account for the majority of dental
injuries. Most chipped teeth can be repaired either by reattaching the broken
piece of tooth enamel or by bonding a tooth-colored filling or crown in place.
See your dentist as soon as possible after the injury to treat your chipped
tooth and keep it from worsening.
How
will my cracked tooth be treated?
There are many different
types of cracked teeth. The treatment and outcome for your tooth depends on the
type, location and extent of the crack.
Craze
Lines
Craze lines are tiny
cracks that affect only the outer enamel. These cracks are extremely common in
adult teeth. Craze lines are very shallow, cause no pain, and are of no concern
beyond appearances.
Fractured
Cusp
When a piece of a
tooth’s chewing surface breaks off, often around a filling, it’s called a
fractured cusp. A fractured cusp rarely damages the pulp, and usually doesn’t
cause much pain. Your dentist can place a new filling or crown over the damaged
tooth to protect it.
If
you've cracked a tooth and breathing through your mouth or drinking cold fluids
is painful, bite on clean, moist gauze or cloth to help relieve symptoms until
reaching your dentist’s office. Never use topical oral pain medications (such
as Anbesol®) or ointments,
or place aspirin on the affected areas to eliminate pain symptoms.
Cracked
Tooth
A cracked tooth means a
crack extends from the chewing surface of your tooth vertically toward the
root. The tooth is not yet separated into pieces, though the crack may
gradually spread. Early diagnosis is important in order to save the tooth. If
the crack has extended into the pulp, the tooth can be treated with a root
canal procedure and a crown to protect the crack from
spreading.
However,
if the crack extends below the gum line, it is no longer treatable, and the
tooth cannot be saved and will need to be extracted. That’s
why early treatment is so important. A cracked tooth that is not treated will
progressively worsen, eventually resulting in the loss of the tooth. Early
diagnosis and treatment are essential in saving these teeth.
Split
Tooth
A split tooth is often
the result of the long term progression of a cracked tooth. The split tooth is
identified by a crack with distinct segments that can be separated. A split
tooth cannot be saved intact. The position and extent of the crack, however,
will determine whether any portion of the tooth can be saved. In some cases, endodontic
treatment may be
performed to save a portion of the tooth.
Vertical
Root Fracture
Vertical root fractures
are cracks that begin in the root of the tooth and extend toward the chewing
surface. They often show minimal signs and symptoms and may therefore go
unnoticed for some time. Vertical root fractures are often discovered when the
surrounding bone and gum become infected. Treatment may involve extraction of
the tooth. However, endodontic
surgery is
sometimes appropriate if a tooth can be saved by removal of the fractured
portion.
After
treatment for a cracked tooth, will my tooth completely heal?
Unlike a broken bone,
the fracture in a cracked tooth will not heal. In spite of treatment, some
cracks may continue to progress and separate, resulting in loss of the tooth.
Placement of a crown on a cracked tooth provides maximum protection but does not
guarantee success in all cases.
The treatment you
receive for your cracked tooth is important because it will relieve pain and
reduce the likelihood that the crack will worsen. Once treated, most cracked
teeth continue to function and provide years of comfortable chewing. Talk to
your endodontist about your particular diagnosis and treatment recommendations.
What
can I do to prevent my teeth from cracking?
While cracked teeth are
not completely preventable, you can take some steps to make your teeth less
susceptible to cracks.
·
Don't
chew on hard objects such as ice, unpopped popcorn kernels or pens.
·
Don't
clench or grind your teeth.
·
If you
clench or grind your teeth while you sleep, talk to your dentist about getting
a retainer or other mouthguard to protect your teeth.
·
Wear a
mouthguard or protective mask when playing contact sports.
