A cracked tooth may exhibit many symptoms. These symptoms include pain when chewing, temperature sensitivities, or even loss of biting pressure. It is also common for pain to come and go, making it difficult to diagnose the cause of discomfort brought about by a cracked tooth.
Chewing with a cracked tooth can cause the cracked pieces to move about, which may make the pulp within the tooth irritated. When biting pressure is released, the crack can close quickly, causing acute pain. If a cracked tooth is not treated, eventually the pulp will become damaged. The tooth will consistently hurt, even when you are not chewing. Cracks in a tooth can also lead to infection of the pulp tissue, which can spread to the bone and gum surrounding the area.
Types of Cracks
- Craze lines These are tiny cracks that only affect the outer enamel of the tooth. Craze line are quite common adults. These types of cracks are superficial and are usually of no concern.
- Fractured Cusp When a cusp becomes weakened, it may fracture. A fractured cusp may completely break off, or be removed by a dentist. This type of injury rarely damages the pulp, so a root canal is not necessary. Your dentist will usually restore the tooth with a full crown.
- Cracked Tooth This type of crack begins at the chewing surface of the tooth and vertically migrates towards the root. In some cases, the crack may even extend below the gum line. Damage to the pulp is commonplace. In this case, root canal treatment is usually necessary. A cracked tooth that is not treated will worsen, resulting in the loss of the tooth. Early detection is essential when you have a cracked tooth.
- Split Tooth A split tooth is usually the result of an untreated cracked tooth. It can be identified by a crack with distinct segments. This type of injury means that the tooth can never be saved intact. Yet, the position and extent of the problem will dictate whether any portion of the tooth can be saved.
Vertical Root Fracture A vertical root fracture begins at the root and extends towards the chewing surface of the tooth. Unfortunately, vertical root fractures show minimal symptoms and may go unnoticed. Treatment for this type of injury involves endodontic surgery, if a portion of the tooth can be saved by removal of the fractured root. If your dentist believes that the tooth cannot be saved, it will have to be extracted.
