How do I know if my tooth is cracked?
Cracked teeth cause a variety of symptoms: erratic pain when chewing, often when you release your bite, or pain with hot and cold. The pain may come and go, which can make it hard to tell which tooth is the cause.
Why a cracked tooth hurts
When the hard outer layers of a tooth are cracked, chewing moves the pieces and irritates the pulp inside. When you release your bite, the crack closes quickly and causes a sharp, momentary pain. Over time the pulp can be damaged beyond healing. The tooth may then hurt with hot and cold, or on its own, and infection can spread to the bone and gum around it.
Types of cracks
Treatment and outcome depend on the type, location and size of the crack.
Craze lines
Tiny cracks in the outer enamel. They are very common in adults, cause no pain and need no treatment.
Fractured cusp
A weakened point of the chewing surface breaks off or has to be removed. It rarely damages the pulp, so a root canal is seldom needed. Your dentist usually restores it with a crown.
Cracked tooth
A crack runs from the chewing surface down toward the root, but the tooth is not yet in two pieces. Pulp damage is common, so root canal treatment is often needed, followed by a crown to hold the tooth together. If the crack extends below the gum line, the tooth may need to be removed. Untreated, a cracked tooth gets worse.
Split tooth
Usually the result of a cracked tooth that progressed. The tooth has separate segments. Depending on the crack, part of the tooth can sometimes be saved with endodontic treatment and a crown.
Vertical root fracture
A crack that starts in the root and runs toward the chewing surface. It may cause few symptoms and is often found when the bone and gum become infected. The tooth may need to be removed, though surgery to remove the cracked root can sometimes save part of it.
Will my tooth heal completely?
Unlike a broken bone, a crack in a tooth does not heal. Even after treatment some cracks continue to grow, and a crown gives the best protection but cannot guarantee success. Treatment still matters a great deal: it relieves pain and lowers the chance the crack gets worse, and most treated cracked teeth keep working comfortably for years.
How to protect your teeth
- Do not chew hard objects like ice, unpopped popcorn kernels or pens.
- Try not to clench or grind. If you do it in your sleep, ask your dentist about a night guard.
- Wear a mouthguard for contact sports.
Adapted from patient information by the American Association of Endodontists. Every tooth is different; Dr. Warren will explain what applies to yours at your exam.