{"id":2634,"date":"2021-10-13T19:58:00","date_gmt":"2021-10-13T19:58:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dental.dev\/king-family-dentistry\/?p=2634"},"modified":"2022-09-28T13:33:20","modified_gmt":"2022-09-28T13:33:20","slug":"cracked-tooth-symptoms-and-treatment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/implantkingdds.com\/cracked-tooth-symptoms-and-treatment\/","title":{"rendered":"Cracked Tooth Symptoms and Treatment"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

People are walking around every day completely unaware that there is a cracked tooth in his\/her mouth. Why? This is because cracked teeth<\/a> do not necessarily hurt. We see cracked teeth in our practice every single day. Sometimes it\u2019s during routine hygiene appointments, because the tooth has broken, and other times it\u2019s because it hurts when the patient chews or eats crunchy things. This phenomena is known as \u201ccracked tooth syndrome\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the publication Dental Economics<\/em>, problems related to cracked and fractured teeth are the third leading cause of tooth loss after caries (cavities) and periodontal (gum) disease. As the population ages, it is likely that cracked teeth will become more prevalent (due to normal wear and tear). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The standard of care for a cracked tooth BEFORE it breaks is a crown (cap). In essence, it\u2019s like putting a ring around a barrel. It is inevitable that if a cracked tooth is not crowned, one of three things will happen. It will break; it will need root canal treatment<\/a><\/strong>; or it will break in such a way where there is not enough tooth structure to support a crown and it will have to be extracted. If the latter situation occurs, the patient will be faced with the decision of how to replace the missing tooth, either with an implant, or with a bridge. This can become very costly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Patients ask us, \u201chow did my tooth get cracked\u201d, and \u201cit\u2019s not bothering me now, so what happens if I don\u2019t get it fixed?\u201d Early diagnosis and treatment of a tooth that is cracked provides the best, and most economical, outcome for the tooth. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some patients will exhibit temperature and\/or biting pain. Others will not exhibit any symptoms. If the tooth is symptomatic, meaning that the patient is experiencing discomfort, it is usually an indication that the tooth needs more than just a crown to fix it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here at Dr. King\u2019s Family & Cosmetic Dentistry, we believe identifying and diagnosing cracked teeth is an important preventative measure. Cracked teeth are generally diagnosed by visually observing if a tooth is cracked. Our team uses intraoral cameras and high magnification glasses (loupes) to more easily identify cracks. We educate our patients by sharing these photos with them during regular hygiene appointments<\/a><\/strong>. Another means of identifying cracks in teeth is with a state-of-the-art surgical operating microscope that Dr. King regularly uses while performing root canal treatment<\/a><\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Causes of Cracked Teeth<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There are many ways that a tooth may become cracked. The most common cause is due to large fillings that take up a significant part of the tooth, in part because a tooth may have been restored multiple times. Whenever a dentist drills into a tooth, it forever changes the integrity of that tooth. It will never be a strong as it was before. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

With normal day-to-day activities and eating, teeth undergo thermocycling. Thermocycling is when the tooth experiences a broad range of temperatures throughout its lifetime. With hot and cold, fillings expand and contract as the temperature increases and decreases. As the filling expands and contracts, it stresses the tooth and causes tiny little fractures in it. Microleakage then occurs as bacteria leaks in via tiny cracks surrounding these large silver and tooth-colored fillings. Once the bacteria is inside the tooth, it cannot get out. The bacteria then causes decay which will continue to spread inside the tooth. The decay inside the tooth causes it to weaken and eventually break. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The less common, yet still prevalent, causes of cracked teeth include bruxism (clenching and grinding), chewing hard foods, and chewing ice. Another cause is malocclusion. This is when a patient\u2019s teeth don\u2019t line up the way that they should and certain teeth suffer from excessive wear and sheer force as a result. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ways to Prevent Cracked Teeth<\/h2>\n\n\n\n