Cracked Tooth Syndrome

Symptoms

Does this sound familiar? When you bite down you feel a sharp pain. It disappears quickly and perhaps you ignore it. You avoid certain foods on one side of your mouth.

Pain while chewing.
Pain associated with cold air application.
Unsolicited pain (usually leakage of sugar into a tooth crack)..
Pain and no radiographic evidence of the problem.
Tooth pain without dental decay present.
Easy verification of a crack when a tooth is prepared for restoration.

Preventative Measures

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 mouthgard or a mask when playing contact sports.

And if you experience symptoms of a cracked tooth, see your dentist immediately. If detected early, a cracked tooth can often be saved.

Questions and Answers

Why does my cracked tooth hurt?

A crack in a tooth usually affects the soft inner tissue of the tooth called the pulp. The pulp contains blood vessels and nerves. When it is damaged, it causes pain. That is why a cracked tooth hurts - the pulp is damaged. To relieve the pain and save your tooth, the pulp needs to be gently treated.

How will my cracked tooth be treated?

The treatment of your cracked tooth depends on the type and severity of the crack. There are five common types of cracks.

Craze Lines are tiny cracks that affect only the outer enamel of the tooth. They need no treatment.
Cusp is the pointed part of the chewing surface of your tooth. Part of the cusp may break off or may need to be removed by your dentist. Usually a crown is required but a root canal is rarely needed.
Cracked Tooth is a crack that extends from the chewing surface of the tooth vertically towards the root. The pulp is usually damaged. If this happens, root canal treatment is usually needed. It is particularly important to diagnose this type of crack early. In its early sages, a cracked tooth can still be saved.
Split Tooth is often the result of an untreated cracked tooth that splits into two distinct segments. With root canal treatment, however, a portion of the tooth can sometimes be saved.
Vertical Root Fractures are cracks that begin in the root and extend toward the chewing surface. They show very few signs and symptoms. Treatment usually involves extraction of the tooth, but sometimes endodontic surgery can save a portion of the tooth.

After treatment for a cracked tooth, will my tooth completely heal?

Unlike a bone, the fracture in a cracked tooth will never completely heal. In fact, even after treatment, it is possible that a crack may continue to worsen and separate, resulting in the loss of the tooth.

Despite the possibility for the tooth to worsen, the treatment you receive is important. It will relieve your pain and reduce the chance that the crack will worsen. Most cracked teeth continue to function for years after treatment. Your dentist or endodontist will be able to tell you more about your particular diagnosis and treatment recommendations.