You may become afraid if one of your teeth cracks. This is understandable when you think about how quickly this can lead to bigger problems. However, it is never good for you to panic. If one of your teeth cracks, call a Houston dentist at the Medical Center Dental Group and schedule an appointment.

You may have already noticed certain symptoms. One of the first symptoms is a sharp pain that you feel when you bit. You may also have noticed sensitivity to hot and cold drinks, or even certain foods.

If your case is more sever, you may even see the crack when you bite down and look at your teeth in the mirror.

If you have experienced any of the following symptoms, it is time to call your Houston dentist as soon as you can. Do not put this off. Tooth decay can result, because a crack can make a tooth sensitive because of the movement of the fractured edges.

As they separate, they allow food, saliva, and liquid from drinks to lead directly into the pulp.

Craze lines are tiny, superficial cracks in the tooth enamel. They are very common in adults, and they are quite often the natural result of aging. These are often seen on anterior teeth—something equivalent to miles on a car.

Craze lines require no treatment. However, you need a Houston dentist to determine if you have craze lines or something more serious.

Other cracks, however, will require professional dental treatment. These are the ones that produce the symptoms discussed previously in this blog. Treating the tooth will vary based upon the type of crack and its severity.

Symptomatic cracks cause pain that can vary from minor sensitivity to a throbbing toothache. You need to get to a dental chair as soon as you can if you have any of these symptoms.

There are also asymptomatic cracks that do not hurt, and they can only be discovered when you see a Houston dentist. They can only be detected through a thorough dental examination. Often they can lie “dormant” for a long period of time, only to become more severe and begin producing symptoms as the condition of your tooth worsens.

This is why regular checkups are so important.

The treatments we use here at the Cosmetic Dentistry Center can range from a bonded filling or a crown that reinforces the tooth to the more drastic measure of a root canal treatment. A root canal must be performed when a tooth nerve has been damaged by a fracture.

Occasionally, a tooth that has a fracture in it simply cannot be fixed. However, the advantage of getting this bad news at our office is that we can also replace that tooth with a natural-looking, fully functional dental implant.

Labels: cracked teeth, symptomatic cracks

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