Cracked Tooth Syndrome

What Is Cracked Tooth Syndrome?

This syndrome can occur when a tooth has a small crack or fracture that may not initially affect the tooth. The teeth most often affected are the upper front teeth and the larger back teeth, also known as molars.

Sometimes a crack can fracture a tooth into pieces or cause it to split. On occasion, it can be an emergency, especially if you experience significant molar pain in NYC.

Types of Tooth Cracks

There are several types of tooth cracks, which are outlined below.

1. Cracked tooth.This is where a crack extends vertically from the incisal or biting edge, all the way down to the gum line. Sometimes it can extend into the tooth root.
2. Hairline cracks. A hairline crack is a very thin, small crack in a tooth, only affecting the tooth enamel, and is entirely painless.
3. Split tooth.A split tooth is a more severe situation, where a crack has split a tooth into two. The split may extend below the gums.
4. Fractured tooth cusp. If you have a premolar or molar with a large central filling, cracks can occur in the cusps around the filling. These do not tend to be painful.
5. Vertical tooth root fracture.A vertical crack can begin underneath the gums and extend toward the surface of the tooth’s crown. A vertical tooth root fracture may not be painful unless it affects the tooth pulp.

Causes of Cracked Tooth Syndrome

Various factors can cause teeth to crack and include:

• Age. As you get older, your tooth enamel becomes thinner, providing less protection for teeth and increasing the chance that you will crack a tooth. Cracked teeth are more common in people aged 50 and over.
• Bruxism. Teeth grinding and clenching, a condition known as bruxism, can wear down teeth, placing them under significant stress and strain. Over time, this can lead to cracking.
• Dental treatments. Various dental treatments, such as root canal therapy, can weaken teeth, making them more brittle and prone to fracture. Other treatments, such as having a large filling, can also weaken a tooth.
• Trauma. If you take a blow to the mouth for any reason, it can damage teeth, especially the upper front teeth.

Symptoms of Cracked Tooth Syndrome

Sometimes, a cracked tooth will cause few, if any, symptoms. However, you may experience some signs, including:

• Pain when biting or chewing on the tooth.
• Tooth sensitivity to temperature changes or when eating anything very sweet or sour.
• Swollen gum around the tooth.
• Toothache.

Without treatment, a cracked tooth can become severely infected, potentially leading to a dental abscess. Symptoms of an abscess can include:

• Halitosis or bad breath.
• Severe toothache.
• Swollen, red gum tissue around the tooth or a pimple on the gum. A pimple can indicate the buildup of pus, a sign of a dental abscess.
• Swollen lymph nodes.
• Fever.

It is essential to receive a proper diagnosis for a cracked tooth, as it may develop into a dental abscess. We want to avoid this situation whenever possible, as it is much more costly to treat and there is a risk that you could lose the tooth, requiring you to replace it with a dental implant, dental bridge, or partial denture.

Diagnosing Cracked Tooth Syndrome

If you have experienced any of the previous symptoms or are concerned about your teeth, schedule a dental exam at NYC Dentistry Center. When you visit our dentist, we can examine your tooth for any visible cracks and ask about any pain or discomfort you may be experiencing.

There are various ways we can diagnose cracked tooth syndrome, which include:

1. Transillumination. We pass a light through your tooth, which can illuminate any cracks.
2. Staining a tooth.A special dye can help us visualize the crack more easily.
3. Digital dental X-rays.These can be useful in visualizing cracks and fractures, especially those hidden from view. They can also show us other symptoms, such as bone loss around a tooth, that can occur when it has a severe fracture.
4. Periodontal probe.A periodontal probe is a small instrument used to measure bone loss around teeth and to identify tooth cracks.

After examining your tooth, we can discuss suitable treatment options for any cracks that are detected.

Treatment Options for Cracked Tooth Syndrome

The treatment we recommend will depend on the severity of the crack. Below are some of the ways we can repair cracked teeth.

Dental Bonding

Small cracks can be filled with tooth-colored composite resin, a process called dental bonding that is quick and non-invasive to complete.

Dental Contouring

This is a process where a crack is smoothed out. Once smooth, we polish the tooth. We may use this process in conjunction with dental bonding.

Dental Veneers

Dental veneers are made from porcelain and cover the front surface of the tooth. They can be used to protect front teeth that have small cracks or fractures.

Dental Crowns

When a tooth is severely cracked, we may recommend protecting it with a dental crown that completely covers the cracked tooth.

Root Canal Therapy

Sometimes, when you have a cracked tooth, root canal therapy can help treat it. We will recommend this treatment if the crack has affected the dental pulp in the tooth’s center and it has become infected or inflamed.

Tooth Extraction

The last resort is to extract a tooth that is severely cracked. This may be necessary if the tooth has cracked vertically through its root and is in two or more pieces.

Preventing Cracked Tooth Syndrome

It isn’t always possible to prevent a cracked tooth, but there are steps you can take to reduce this risk.

1. Practice Good Oral Care

Ensuring you brush and floss regularly can help keep your teeth strong, reducing the risk of cavities or other problems that could weaken them.

Regular dental checkups allow us to detect small cracks more quickly. The sooner we can provide professional dental treatment, the better we can preserve and protect your natural teeth.

2. Wear a Custom Sports Mouthguard

If you like to play sports where there is a risk of taking a blow to the mouth, consider getting a custom-made mouthguard. We can supply a custom mouthguard relatively inexpensively, which can save you time and expense, and help you avoid a great deal of heartache that can come from tooth injuries.

3. Wear a Night Splint for Bruxism

Our dentists can easily detect any signs of bruxism during your regular dental exams. If you have this condition, it’s well worth getting a custom-made night splint to protect your teeth during sleep, as this is often a nocturnal condition.

4. Avoid Oral Habits That Could Damage Your Teeth

Try to avoid habits that could damage your teeth, such as nailbiting, chewing on ice, popcorn kernels, or hard candies. Please refrain from using your teeth as tools, as they can easily chip or crack.

Can a Cracked Tooth Heal on Its Own?

No, as tooth enamel once damaged will not regrow. Although you may not need immediate treatment, we will need to monitor the tooth. Receiving the proper professional dental care can save your tooth by allowing us to repair it before further damage and infection can occur.

NYC Dentistry Center
6 E 45th Street, 8th Floor, Suite 2
New York, NY 10017
(212) 810-9264

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