cracked tooth

A big crack on one or more of your front teeth is pretty noticeable, but small cracks in other teeth, especially your molars, might not be as obvious. To make things worse, not all cracked teeth hurt, so you might not even know you have one. Your dentist checks for cracks in your teeth when you have your yearly exam, but here’s what to look for in between those regular visits.

The Different Types of Tooth Cracks 

Do all teeth crack the same way? Nope, they can crack in several ways:

  • A split tooth, where the tooth separates into two parts, is what happens when a cracked tooth is left untreated. You can also suffer what’s known as a vertical root fracture which is a crack that starts in the root of the tooth and travels up to the biting surface.
  • Craze lines are miniscule cracks that only affect a tooth’s outer enamel. Common in adult teeth, they cause no pain and need no treatment.
  • Fractured cusps usually occur around a dental filling and don’t typically affect a tooth’s pulp. The cusp, or pointed part of the tooth’s biting surface, becomes damaged and the tooth can break. Signs of a cracked cusp are pain when you bite down on something. 
  • Cracks into the gum line are serious and untreatable and will likely need to be extracted. Cracks that extend through the entire tooth but haven’t reached the gum line can usually be treated with a root canal.

Symptoms of Cracked Teeth 

There are many reasons one or more of your teeth might crack. Extreme tooth grinding, weakening of the tooth due to large fillings, a blow to the jaw, gum disease with bone loss, and biting on something hard can all cause cracks.

The signs you’ve cracked one of your teeth can be difficult to spot and symptoms vary.

  • Off and on pain when chewing.
  • Extreme temperatures, particularly cold, might cause discomfort.
  • A sensitivity to sweetness but with no signs of tooth decay.

You might also notice some swelling near the gum of the affected tooth.

Diagnosis and Treatment of Cracked Teeth 

Unfortunately, many teeth cracks don’t show up on dental x-rays and everyone has different symptoms. There are other ways your dentist can diagnose a cracked tooth including:

  • A visual exam with a magnifying glass to detect tiny cracks.
  • Running a dental tool over and around the sore tooth to see if it “catches.”
  • Using a dental dye to make the crack stand out.

Cracked teeth are also often discovered by using a special tool that you bite down on while your dentist watches for signs of distress or pain.

Your Dentist Knows for Sure

There are a variety of treatments for cracked teeth. Bonding, crowns, extraction, and root canals are all popular solutions. You might not require any treatment at all if the cracks are hairline and don’t produce pain or affect your appearance.

If you have a sore tooth, the sooner it’s checked and treated, the better the outcome. Once treated, your cracked tooth should continue to function as it should for years to come. To schedule an oral checkup and learn more about the signs of a cracked tooth, contact Kanehl Dental Group today.