The Pain of a Cracked Tooth
Cracked teeth are becoming more common due to modern
living habits. You can crack your teeth
by chewing on hard objects, or you can crack them by clenching and grinding
your teeth during sleep. An injury to
your face can also cause a tooth to crack.
A cracked tooth can show a number of symptoms. You might feel sporadic pain while
chewing. You also might feel pain when
you eat or drink something hot or cold.
In some cases the crack might cause you no pain at all. Regardless of the lack of a symptom, early
diagnosis and treatment of a crack is critical to saving the tooth. Like a crack in a windshield, a crack in a
tooth often starts small and grows slowly.
The sooner the crack is detected and treated, the better the chance for
saving the tooth.
A crack in a tooth can affect the soft inner tissue
of the tooth known as the pulp/nerve.
The pulp contains blood vessels and nerves, and when it is damaged, it
can cause pain. When you chew, the
separate pieces of the cracked tooth can move causing irritation of the
pulp. Left untreated, the pulp can
become so irritated that it hurts even when you are not eating or drinking.
The treatment of a crack depends upon its type and
severity. A type of crack called a
fracture can occur in the cusp of the tooth which is the sharp chewing
surface. Sometimes a part of the cusp
can break off, but this breakage rarely affects the pulp/nerve and can be
restored with a crown or other restoration.
On the other hand, a crack can extend from the chewing surface of the
tooth down to the root. A cracked tooth
is not separated into two different segments, but it can still lead to damage
of the pulp/nerve. In its early stages,
a cracked tooth can often be saved.
When a tooth is split into two separate parts, it
can never be saved intact. A split tooth
usually is the result of a cracked tooth that was left untreated.
Unlike a broken bone, a cracked tooth will never
completely heal. Even after treatment
the crack can continue to worsen, resulting in the need for an extraction. Despite this possibility, it is important to
seek immediate treatment of a cracked tooth.
Not only will you reduce the chance of severe pain, but cracked teeth
can often function for years after treatment.
A broken filling and recurrent decay often are
promoted by a cracked tooth, yet there might be no pain. By having regular check-ups you will give
your dentist the opportunity to identify cracked teeth and offer means of
protection before pain begins.
While you cannot completely prevent the possibility
of a cracked tooth, you can take steps to reduce the occurrence. First, do not chew on hard objects such as
ice or hard candy. Second, do not clench
or grind your teeth. If you grind your
teeth at night, talk to your dentist about a nightguard to protect your teeth. Third, wear a mouthguard or a mask when
playing contact sports. If you have pain
or if you suspect that you have a cracked tooth, see a dentist as quickly as
possible. Quick action on the part of
the dentist can improve the chances of saving the tooth.
Charles E. Warlick, Jr.,
D.D.S.
Dr. Warlick has been
practicing dentistry in Wimberley since 1979.
He is Managing Director for the
c: Hill Country- Cracked
Teeth