Why causes cracked tooth syndrome?
Teeth can crack for many reasons. They take a lot of pressure from biting and chewing each and every day. As they age, they lose much of their original strength. They can also be weakened by clenching and grinding.

Your teeth can also become weaker when they lose structure. This can happen with large fillings or from root canals. If you chew on ice, candy, popcorn kernels, or foreign objects, you can crack your teeth.

If you are in an accident or suffer an injury, this can crack your teeth too.

Does this occur in one place more than another?
Cracked tooth syndrome is more common in molars, usually lower molars, which take the brunt of chewing pressure.

Are some of us more prone to this condition than others?
Yes. If you have Bruxism, you are much more susceptible to cracked tooth syndrome. Also, if you have one cracked tooth, you probably have more than one. If you have been in an accident involving a blow to the mouth, you are vulnerable to your teeth cracking in the future.

Will I know right away if I crack a tooth?
No. You may have cracked tooth syndrome for several months and not have consistent symptoms.

What are the symptoms of cracked tooth syndrome?
One side of your mouth becomes uncomfortable to chew on.
Your teeth are sensitive to hot and cold.
You feel a sharp pain when you bite down.
Your pain is intermittent.

This intermittent pain is caused when the tooth flexes and microscopically stimulates the nerve in the tooth. Hairline cracks open and close. This is enough to put pressure on the tubules that run down the nerve. This, in turn, causes fluid to push and pull on the tooth’s nerve and cause pain. The nerve also becomes exposed to bacteria that are toxic, and this can make it inflamed enough to become very sensitive and for infection to spread to the nerve and bone tissue beneath the root.

If this happens, you are looking at a possible abscess. Part of the tooth can break off at this point, and a root canal will be needed to save it, or extraction will be the only other option.

How do you diagnose cracked tooth syndrome?
We run a series of tests on your mouth and teeth. Because many of these fractures are invisible to the naked eye, our examination will often include x-rays. Sometimes, though, even x-rays do not reveal a crack. We also have to analyze your bite to find small fractures.

After a thorough examination, and after we have located the fractures in your teeth, we then discuss treatment options with you. Treatment will depend on the location and direction of the crack. It also depends on how badly it has damaged your tooth.

If we find that the crack only affects your tooth enamel, we may just remove the affected portion and restore the tooth with a cosmetic dental onlay to stabilize it. Or, we may crown the tooth to protect it against future possible damage.
If we find, however, that the crack affects the underlying dentin or pulp layers of your tooth, we perform a root canal before placing a crown over the tooth.

Labels: cracked teeth, cracked tooth syndrom, craze lines

What are symptoms of cracked teeth?
Cracked teeth exhibit many different types of symptoms, including pain while chewing, pain when exposed to extremes of heat or cold, or pain when biting pressure is released. In many instances patients report that the pain comes and goes, leading them to the false conclusion that whatever their problem is only minor.

What do I do if I have cracked teeth?
If you suspect that you are suffering from cracked teeth, get to the dentist as soon as possible. The reason you are feeling pain is because the tooth surface beneath the crack is flexing. This makes the entire tooth unstable, and it can cause a large portion of the tooth to break away if it is untreated.

I have a busy schedule and cannot get to the dentist right away. What is the worst thing that can possibly happen if I delay dental treatment?You know, it never is a good idea to ask any type of doctor what the worst case scenario will be if you do nothing about your condition. We tend to be very candid because we do not want patients to have a false sense of security that can later lead to them hurting more down the line.

Delaying treatment of cracked teeth gives time for cracks to work their way down to tooth roots. Once this happens, the root dies, and a root canal will be necessary. If the crack develops into a split tooth, the entire tooth will need to be replaced. Otherwise, the tooth will need to be crowned because part of its surface has been ruptured or may have broken away.

If you act immediately, however, some cracked teeth can be repaired with cosmetic dental bonding resin. While we cannot guarantee we can do this for you, it is almost certain we will not be able to if you procrastinate coming into the office.

If the crack extends into the nerve and a root canal will become necessary. Most cracked teeth that hurt will need to be crowned. Occasionally, small cracks can be fixed with fillings.

Do cracked teeth always hurt?
No. Sometimes old cracks that run parallel to the length of teeth are painless. These surface cracks do not run very deep. Very shallow cracks of this nature are called craze lines and are not at all severe. They are part of the normal aging process and normally do not cause problems or require treatment.

The cracks that do hurt are the ones that result from biting into something that damages the tooth. Basically, anything that penetrates down into the dentin layer of the tooth is going to cause pain. This is because the dentin layer lies immediately next to the nerve center of the tooth, called the pulp chamber.

If you begin to experience constant pain, there is a good chance that the nerve is affected and that a root canal will be necessary to treat the problem. Crowning is commonly performed as a treatment for many cracked teeth, although cosmetic dentists like us are often able to repair minor cracks with cosmetic dental onlays.

Labels: cracked teeth, craze lines, dental crowns, symptomatic cracks

Ask the Dental Experts
Our philosophy is to help our patients achieve and maintain exceptional dental health. We work hard to make sure that our level of care is deserving of our patients’ respect and confidence. Our tradition of preventive dentistry is the basis for all service and care in our practice. We welcome all questions and comments regarding dentistry in the hope that we increase your dental "IQ" and help you make better dental health decisions.

Q: What do you do when a tooth cracks?
A: Some minor craze lines seen in teeth need no attention at all. Other teeth have symptomatic cracks that cause sensitivity or pain and need immediate attention. Since most cracks or fractures do not show up on radiographs (x-rays), these problems can be difficult to figure out.

· Craze lines are tiny cracks that are very superficial and often difficult for a person to see. They occur primarily in the outer enamel layer of the teeth. They are most common in adult teeth, and they need no treatment. They are simply the result of “mileage – wear and tear” on the teeth. Also, they are most common on the anterior teeth.
· Asymptomatic cracks are ones that cause no pain and are therefore difficult to evaluate. Many times it is important to reinforce these teeth early, BEFORE they become a problem.
· Symptomatic cracks cause pain that can vary from minor sensitivity to a throbbing toothache.

Unfotunately, most people do not seek help for cracked teeth until they become painful. A crack will eventually make a tooth sensitive due to movement of the fractured edges and leakage into the pulp. The treatment of such a tooth will vary based on the case. Sometimes cracked teeth can be remedied with simple dental bonding procedures. More severe cases may require a porcelain crown. If tooth decay has ensued, a root canal may need to be performed first to save what is left of the tooth prior to being crowned.

If a crack is so seriously fractured that it has to be extracted, the Cosmetic Dentistry Center can place a dental implant in its place.

Does your tooth give a “zing” when you bite?
Do you clench your teeth so hard that there are visible cracks in your back teeth?
Are your teeth very sensitive to hot or cold?

If so, don’t waste any time – problems develop quickly. Have it checked out by your dentist as soon as possible.

Labels: asymptomatic cracks, cracked tooth syndrom, craze lines, symptomatic cracks