Cracked Teeth

What causes a tooth to crack?

In addition to any unplanned incidents, a tooth can crack because of:

• Large fillings

• Pressure from grinding teeth

• Hard and chewy foods like hard candy, nuts, or ice

• Mouth trauma

• Abrupt temperature changes in the mouth

• Age

Dr. Sunar explains to you precisely what you need to do to prevent a tooth from cracking and recommends treatment options to keep you healthy.  

Is a cracked tooth painful?

A cracked tooth becomes painful when the pulp gets damaged. As the pulp contains nerves and blood vessels, pressure, like chewing or sudden mouth movements, can cause pain.

The longer the pulp stays damaged, the higher the chances that it will get irritated, rendering it impossible for it to heal itself.s already undergone root canal treatment. It’s not a standalone procedure.

What are the different types of cracked teeth?

There are multiple types of cracked teeth, and each one comes with its own set of symptoms and treatment options:

• Craze lines - Craze lines refer to microscopic cracks in the enamel. Since these are very small, they often don’t require treatment. Over time, the enamel rebuilds itself and gets rid of cracks.

• Fractured cusp - In most cases, a fractured cusp refers to cracks along a dental filling. Usually, these cracks don’t reach the pulp and don’t cause as much pain.

• Gum line cracks - Generally speaking, if a crack in your tooth is vertical but hasn’t reached the gum, it’s still salvageable. If it has reached the gum line, you might need to have the tooth removed and replaced by an implant or crown.

• Split crack - Split cracks refer to when the crack extends from the surface of the tooth to the gum line. These cracks typically break the tooth into two sections. In this case, Dr. Sunar needs to extract the tooth and replace it with a prosthetic.

• Vertical root fracture - This often symptom-less type of crack starts from the below the gum line and travels upwards. Dr. Sunar might need to extract the tooth. You won’t show symptoms unless the tooth becomes infected.

How do you treat a cracked tooth?

There are four main treatment options for cracked teeth:

• Bonding: plastic resin fills the crack.

• Crown: completely cover the affected area to strengthen enamel.

• Root canal: removes damaged pulp.

• Extraction: complete removal of an unsalvageable tooth.

In the case of craze lines, no treatment is required. If you think you’re suffering from a cracked tooth, get in touch with Dr. Sunar today by phone or online to book an appointment.