Cracked Tooth Syndrome

What is Cracked Tooth Syndrome?

Cracked Tooth Syndrome- a tooth that has a crack and may be painful when biting or chewing in a certain way. The pain may be mild or intense and can last for a brief moment or a long time.  The pain is caused by the pressure of biting onto the cracked tooth; the crack opens and irritates the pulp.   The crack in a tooth is often undetectable by the human eyes.  The crack is usually too small to show up on dental x-rays. The treatment of a tooth that has the Cracked Tooth Syndrome depends on the size and location of the crack.  Treatment options may be a filling, a crown, root canal therapy, an extraction or no treatment.

Symptoms of Cracked Tooth Syndrome

·       No pain

·       Mild or intense pain

·       Sharp pain when biting down that quickly disappears; pain when biting down a certain way

·       Pain that comes and goes but does not hurt all the time; pain lasts for a brief time or a long time (months).  Pain is unpredictable.

·       Pain when eating or drinking; hot or cold temperature, or eating foods that are sweet, sour or sticky

The crack in a tooth is often undetectable by the human eyes.  So, look out for localized pain that flares up when biting down into food or when exposing the tooth to hot or cold temperature.

Diagnosis

Patients with Cracked Tooth Syndrome may have symptoms for a long time (months). It is one of the most difficult dental problems to diagnose.

·       Complete oral examination

·       Dental history

·       Symptoms

·       X-rays, fiber optic handpiece  assists the detection of the crack, stain crack with a special dye

·       Patients who have cracked teeth are likely to have other cracked teeth

Treatment depends on:

·       Location of the crack

·       The size of the crack

·       How deep the crack is

Dentist recommendations:

·       If the crack is tiny and superficial (craze line), there may be no treatment and just observation

·       Restore the tooth with a filling

·       Restore the tooth with a crown to protect further cracking of the tooth

·       Endodontic (root canal therapy) may be needed if the crack has extended into the pulp

·       Extraction of the tooth  may be necessary if the crack has extended below the gum line and into the root

Prevention

·       Avoid chewing on hard objects or foods like ice, nuts or hard candy

·       Avoid accidents: biting into frozen foods, tripping/falling on an uneven sidewalk, hitting by a hard object and others

·       Teeth grinding and clenching can increase the risk of Cracked Tooth Syndrome.  Talk to the dentist about wearing a night guard.  The night guard can be worn during sleep and other times if clenching happens during the waking hours.

Prognosis

Treatment of Cracked Tooth Syndrome may not always be successful.  Consult with the dentist about the treatment options.  In some patients, a crown may solve the dental problem.  In others, root canal therapy solves the problem.  And there are some patients who need an extraction of the tooth if the crack is deep and extensive.

Dr. Anna Lee is a general & cosmetic dentist in Glendora, CA.  She has been practicing dentistry for more than 30 years.  If you have any questions about the symptoms of Cracked Tooth Syndrome, call our office for a consultation at 626-335-5114. Or visit us at www.annaleedds.com.