A cracked tooth (or dental fissure) is a small crack or opening that appears on the outer part of the tooth. They are almost always so small that they can’t be seen.
To locate them and make a diagnosis, a dental X-ray can be taken. In some cases they can also be spotted during a thorough check-up at the dentist’s.
I have a cracked tooth: what should I do?
You may have a crack without the tooth actually breaking. Even so, you’ll feel pain in that tooth.
Most commonly it hurts when you chew or bite, but it may also hurt with simple contact between teeth. Pain may appear when you drink very cold drinks, although not with heat.
If you have any of these symptoms, it’s best to visit the dental clinic so they can examine your tooth with a periapical X-ray, which allows cracks to be detected.
A cracked tooth doesn’t break the tooth, so it looks healthy but still causes pain. The crack can affect different parts, such as the root and the crown, and run in different directions: oblique, vertical or horizontal. Cracks can also be complete or partial.
In many cases the exact cause of the problem can’t be pinpointed, but it is clear that cracks result from forces that exceed the elastic limit of the dentine, causing it to crack.
Symptoms of a cracked tooth
A cracked tooth can cause many symptoms, which can be mistaken for other kinds of problems.
Pain appears when biting food or drinking very cold drinks. It can also come on when making specific jaw movements.
Depending on the location, extent and direction of the crack, one or all of these symptoms may appear, as well as others. With so many possible combinations, diagnosis can become very confusing.
One of its most important features is that the crack can end up causing the tooth to fracture.
How to treat a cracked tooth
The treatment depends on the extent of the crack. In other words, it varies according to how far the crack extends and where it is located.
When a vertical crack only affects the crown, the tooth can be treated. But if the fracture damages both the root and the crown, the tooth can’t be saved and will have to be extracted.
It is very common to recommend root canal treatment followed by a dental crown, so that the cracked fragments are held together and the cusps are protected.
Cracked tooth syndrome
This syndrome is a little-known but very common problem, and it is quite difficult to diagnose.
It involves a crack so small that it is almost impossible to locate. What’s more, the teeth affected often have no decay and have never needed a filling, which makes diagnosis even harder.
This syndrome usually appears in the molars and is most common in people aged 30 to 60.
Most common signs and symptoms
- Sudden, intense pain when biting or chewing.
- Over 20 years of age (most often between 30 and 60).
- Exaggerated reaction to cold.
- Symptoms lasting from weeks to months.
- Hard to pinpoint.
- Pain when closing the mouth and making specific movements with the teeth.
- Mainly found in the premolars and the lower first molar.
When fractures affect the front teeth, they are usually the result of dental trauma.
Causes of cracked teeth
The causes the dentist cannot control or change are:
- Bruxism
- Temperature cycles
- Chewing accidents
- The natural shape of the tooth’s grooves and cusps
Even so, there are other causes related to restorative procedures that the dentist can control.
Prevention
- Avoid grinding or clenching your teeth.
- Try not to put pressure on your teeth.
- Wear a night guard if you suffer from bruxism.
- See your dentist to check whether the cause is trauma.
Treating a cracked tooth
Nowadays, people of all ages live with more stress, which encourages habits that lead to cracks, such as bruxism.
Trauma also weakens the tooth structure and makes cracks more likely.
Even so, there’s no need to panic: cracked teeth can be saved. To do so, it is important to recognise the most typical symptoms and diagnose the crack as early as possible. This matters because the longer you wait, the bigger the crack will get, and it may even become a fracture.
In most cases treatment is successful, but occasionally the tooth may break and need to be extracted.
That’s why, if you notice any kind of pain and don’t know where it’s coming from, it’s very important to book an appointment at our dental clinic to have it checked.
