Cracked tooth syndrome relates to a variety of symptoms and signs caused by a crack tooth. To improve the chances of saving a cracked tooth, early diagnosis and treatment are important.
Symptoms & Signs of a Cracked Tooth
Sharp pain with chewing (especially when biting on grainy food) or after release of biting pressure may indicate the presence of a crack.
- Pain or discomfort when the crack is exposed to cold or hot food or liquids
- Sensitivity to sweet foods
- Difficulty in pinpointing which tooth hurts or whether the pain is coming from a top or bottom tooth
Causes of Cracked Tooth Syndrome
Chewing on hard foods or substances such as ice, sweets or pencils could cause a tooth to crack
- Many people’s lives are more stressful nowadays, leading to clenching or grinding of the teeth, particularly at night.
- Over the years, daily wear and tear from clenching, grinding and chewing can slowly cause cracks
- Large fillings (especially amalgam fillings) weaken the teeth and make them more prone to fracture
- Trauma such as a blow to the teeth, especially if the upper and lower jaw have been rammed together
Treatment
Here, at Drummoyne Dental Practice, we believe that early treatment is important to saving your tooth. Propagating cracks may be stopped or slowed down, increasing the chances that the tooth can be saved. Treatment depends on the extent and position of the crack. In simple cases, our dentist may be able to cover the portion of weakened tooth structure with a filling. If the crack is more extensive, placement of a crown may be required to protect the tooth and avoid propagation of the crack. In complex cases, the crack may progress to the pulp and cause inflammation. This is treated with a root canal therapy. If the crack is so extensive that it causes the tooth to split in half then the tooth may require extraction. However, at Drummoyne Dental Practice, we try our best to preserve functional teeth and avoid extraction unless there is no other option.