How Serious is a Cracked Tooth?
A cracked tooth is a tooth that has become broken, so it is important that you consult with your dentist as soon as possible for effective treatment. Left untreated, a cracked tooth can lead to the nerve dying, which requires a root canal and possibly extraction.
How Do You Know if You Have a Cracked Tooth?
Diagnosis can be difficult because X-rays do not always show cracks in teeth. Also, symptoms vary from person to person, but common signs are pain during chewing, especially when you release your bite, sensitivity to the temperature of what you eat and drink, especially cold liquids, or sensitivity to sweets.
Adult teeth can crack in several different ways:
- Craze lines are tiny cracks that affect only the outer tooth enamel. This type of crack is common, but typically, no pain is involved and no treatment is needed.
- A cracked cusp (the cusp is the pointed part of the biting surface) can lead to further cracking of the tooth. If damage to a cusp becomes pronounced, the tooth may break. Pain is usually sharp in that tooth when biting.
- A cracked tooth occurs when a crack extends from the biting surface down toward the root. The crack may go below the gum line and into the root. Eventually, the soft inner tissue of the tooth becomes damaged.
- Vertical root fractures are cracks that start in the root and run upward toward the biting surface.
- A split tooth is often the result of a cracked tooth that is not treated. The tooth splits into two parts.
Because your dentist may not see a crack on an X-ray, he or she may use a bright light, magnifying glass, or special dye to identify the crack. In the case of a vertical root fracture, your dentist can sometimes see bone loss adjacent to the root indicated on an X-ray.
Why Do Teeth Crack?
A variety of factors can cause teeth to crack. Grinding while sleeping puts teeth under considerable pressure. Large fillings may cause teeth to become weak. Chewing hard foods can cause cracks. Hard trauma to the chin or jaw, or gum disease, especially with bone loss, can make cracked teeth more likely.
How Are Cracked Teeth Fixed?
Your dentist will select any of the following treatments that is best for you, based on the amount of damage to your cracked tooth:
- Bonding is a plastic resin used to repair minor cracks and small chips. It can also be used to restore the shape of a tooth.
- Cosmetic contouring is a procedure used when a crack or chip is very small. Your dentist will polish any rough edges on the tooth to repair the crack.
- Veneers, a thin porcelain or plastic layer made to fit over the front surface of the tooth, are a highly effective treatment because they are long-lasting and do not require that a large amount of your tooth be removed before they are applied.
- Crowns are the treatment used for a tooth that is not suitable for a veneer. Because crowns are made to fit over teeth, a large amount of the affected tooth is usually removed. When a crown is the recommended treatment, a root canal may first be necessary if the tooth nerve has been damaged and becomes infected.
Can Cracked Teeth Be Prevented?
Cracked teeth cannot be entirely avoided. If you grind your teeth while you sleep, your dentist will suggest you use a night guard. Adults and kids active in sports should wear mouthguard protection. And you should avoid chewing hard foods.
Unfortunately, cracked teeth are not like broken bones and will never completely heal. A crack can get worse over time, and you might still need extraction. But with treatment—sooner rather than later—most cracked teeth are problem-free for years.